THE POPE AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

BY KAY ELEGBEDE

Beloved brethren, we seem to have dealt with the Hank Hannegraafs issue very well. Thank you for all your contributions by e-mail and by phone conversations. We learned quite a bit from each other. Hank and his people are supposed to be responding to the e-mail we posted on their website in defense of our christain leaders within three to four weeks. So we wait and see if a response will ever come.

While we wait, there is another subject I thought I knew something about but now I am rather confused and sincerely need some refresher course/more education on this. Now this one is way over my head. Maybe some other Christians have the same questions like I do. I do not know.

Brethren, can you comprehend what is going on in the world today about Pope John Paul II? This has certainly turned all that was taught to us, growing up as Christians, upside down don't you think?

From what I read and heard on TV, Pope John Paul II, appeared to have been a good man and even notable christain leaders have gone as far as saying he was born again. Now I do not doubt that any man could be born again and maybe he was. But then he still prayed to Mary and used his rosary till his death as was reported by the media. It has also been said that some Charismatic Catholics claim that after being baptized by the Holy Spirit they have a deeper relationship with Mary, they can recite the rosary in tongues, and many other claims contrary to the Bible. Brethren, there is no reconciliation between praying to Mary and believing in Jesus you know. I can accept and live with one fact and that is Pope John Paul II was a better United Nations Ambassador of a kind than Kofi Annan is or will ever be, reaching out far more and having more appeal to the world.

But what about what we were taught over the years about the Catholic church being the WHORE OF REVELATION 17. Are we supposed to discard that now that we have had a Pope who was widely accepted by the whole world and seem to be loved dearly even in death?

We were told sooner or later, the catholic church will try to bring all religions and political might together under what is going on now called the "Ecumenical movement " in bid to influence and control the world. What happened at the Popes funeral ceremony look so much like a preview of that to me especially in an age of CNN to give coverage and color to it.

It was like, "who is who" of world leaders and Religious leaders - Muslims, Christians and all other religious leaders, were just tripping over each other to pay homage to the dead Pope. The rush to Rome last week was just too much to ignore. Is there anything PROPHETICALLY significant here or the pool of people to Rome was just as a result of the goodwill of the dead Pope alone? Lots of questions but few clear answers. People, I wish I know the answer to this one so I could earn some bragging rights. But guess what? I honestly do no know the answer to this and many more.

So the questions are:

1. Pastors or anyone knowledgeable enough to tackle this, WHAT IS GOING ON? What is the status of the Catholic church today? Is it still the same as we were taught or has it changed forever through the influence of this last Pope?

2. What about this dead Pope, some Christians say he was born again. Is this true or not or will we ever know for sure? What was his place or role among the other Popes who were almost sinister characters in history?

3. And what are we waiting for next, viz a viz, the biblical Prophecy concerning Rome and the end time. This is important for us to know at this end time in order to prepare ourselves. We desperately seek answers ( and your response can come anytime you like - immediately after now or days or even weeks) to these questions. We need to know what is really going on.

We have not heard anyone out there really doing any teaching on this at this time since the praise of this dead Pope seems to have silenced all the critics of the Catholic church. All the critics have run for cover just like Peter ran for cover, by cursing, when they asked him if he knew Jesus, as they were about to crucify him. The only difference between what Peter did then and what is going on now is nobody is "cursing" but "praising" the dead pope. Just as it was not politically correct then for Peter to say he knew Jesus, it is now not politically correct for any leader (Political leader or Religious leader including our so called big time brothers in the church and even the jews) to say anything negative about the dead Pope and consequently guess who benefits from all this goodwill after this Pope is long forgotten? The Roman catholic institution.

What a perfect time in the history of the world to romance and pay homage to the WHORE OF REVELATION 17. Is Rome still the whore or not? We cannot tell right now can we? Everybody seems to have become an "unofficial" member of the Roman catholic church at this moment, anxiously waiting for the selection and the announcement of the next Pope. Shall I say "OUR POPE" to join the world and use a more Politically correct language??? I don't think so.

Did you know the last Pope was described as the GLOBAL POPE FORTHE GLOBAL CHURCH by the world Media? Does this sound an alarm bell somehow in your spirit about the stage that is being set for other possibilities in the catholic church and the world in the future? So what does this mean for the future now that this Pope is gone? So many questions but few answers?

Beloved brethren and dear Pastors, what is true and what is not? We really need your WISDOM at this crucial time in the history of the church so let us hear from you. We need some education on this one. Your sheep are hungry for knowledge. Hope to read from anyone who has some insight on this.

Thank you and God Bless.