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The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy



Posted: 05/23/2006

The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy

By Ken Silva

 

In the Vatican II document Nostra Aetate, “Declaration On The Relation Of The Church To Non-Christian Religions,” from the apostate Church of Rome we can trace the very roots of  The Ecumenical Church Of Deceit (ECoD) of new evangelicalism. And this document also spawned the current apostasy and continues to provide the fuel for the spiritual wildfire now sweeping into the heart of the evangelical camp itself. For you see it was Nostra Aetate that would open the door for Trappist monk Thomas Merton, one of contemplative spirituality’s prized Buddhas, as well as others to openly pursue their interspiritual dialogues.

 

In part it reads: “1. In our time, [1965] day by day mankind is being drawn closer together, and the ties between different peoples are becoming stronger, the Church examines more closely he (sic) relationship to non- Christian religions. In her task of promoting unity and love among men, indeed among nations, she considers above all in this declaration what men have in common and what draws them to fellowship.” [1] Obviously those of us who are Christians immediately recognize this is not the actual “task” of the Body of Christ. Our Lord told us to be a people set apart from the world unto Him to preach His Gospel and to make disciples. [2] And while we are certainly not opposed to “unity and love,” we can hardly expect this from the pagan world around us.

 

Leaving all that aside, the Roman Catholic Church, the Devil’s best counterfeit of Christianity, opened the door for her apostate monks like Thomas Merton, the late M. Basil Pennington, and Living Spiritual Teacher Brother David Stendl-Rast to begin their ecumenical quest to bring all religions together under Rome through Contemplative/Centering Prayer (i.e. transcendental meditation). It is this so-called “Christian” mysticism that has ultimately become the spiritual methane for this rapidly accelerating apostasy of new evangelicalism so rapidly being spread by the growing Gnostic cult of the Emergent Church.

 

Peas In A Corrupt Spiritual Pod

The two misguided mystics in the above-mentioned trio of friends who are no longer with us, Merton and Pennington, have become highly recommended sources for contemplative spirituality e.g. by Living Spiritual teacher Richard Foster  and Emergent theologian Tony Jones. For more on Thomas Merton's own affinity for Buddhism and Sufism please see Thomas Merton And Mystic Apostasy.  And just look at what Merton's friend and meditation mate Basil Pennington himself has written:

 

In the course of the years, sitting in silent prayer, beyond where words can interfere, men and women of many diverse traditions have come together. In that deeper place a oneness is experienced that gives assurance and heart to our feeble ecumenical efforts and interreligious dialogues. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has said that if one percent of the people would meditate we will have peace. Jesus spoke of the leaven that will leaven the whole. [3]

 

And why were men like Merton and Pennington, who flagrantly engaged in the practice of Gnostic mysticism, which ended in their denial of the exclusivity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not expelled from the Roman Catholic Church? Because the apostate Church of Rome itself is as heretical as these ministers of hers were:

 

3. The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,(5) who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. [4]

 

Men and women, look at what horrid blasphemy we have just read! Are we really to believe that the “true” Church of our great God and Savior would regard “with esteem” a godless religion that clearly teaches that Jesus is not God? And keep in mind the religion of Islam says that their own Muhammad is an even greater prophet than Christ! You should also know that it is impossible to “adore the one God” and not acknowledge “Jesus as God.” As it is written: “every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” [5]

 

May God help us if the Body of Christ continues this despicable pilgrimage back into the bondage of the long apostate Roman Catholic Church now being led by new evangelical leaders within her daughter the ECoD through their contemplative spirituality. 

 



[2] See – Matthew 28-18-20.

[3] M. Basil Pennington, Thomas Keating, and Thomas Clarke, Finding Grace at the Center: The Beginning of Centering Prayer, (Skylight Paths Publishing, 2002), pp. 10,11. 

[4] Nostra Aetate ,op. cit.

[5] 1 John 4:3.

Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com

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By Ken Silva

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Reader Feedback

Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
Posted On: 03/03/07 08:41:08 PM Age 56, MN
I can not beleive how many have not done their homework. the author of this article has done his. WHAT born again Christian church Had another GOD they pray to when the word says JESUS is the only way, WHEN did MARY become GOD? HUM? Anyone who doesnt KNOW the Roman Catholic church is NOT chrisitan ( one needs to be born again to be one) has NOT done their homework, and is dangerous to any REAL born again person. WAKE UP out there YOU have to be ASLEEP at the wheel to think the ROMAN CATHOLIC church is christian anyone with their EYES wide open know its it is NOT. PLEASE PEOPLE> TRY to read the bible JUST ONCE WILL YOU?
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Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
Posted On: 06/04/06 05:44:44 AM Age 57, VA
Check out the article by Roger Oakland called Emerging Church:Another Road To Rome." Go to www.understandthetimes.org/commenting/c46.shtml (as you read it keep in mind that since the writing, Chuck Smith has cautioned people and his Pastors to stay away from the Emerging Church. Read about that at www.lighthousetrailsreasearch.com)
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  1. Re: Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
    Posted On: 06/04/06 02:58:25 PMAge 57, VA
    Again The web is www.understandthetimes.org/commentary/c46/shtml (If you can't read it clearly here, it is a "c"and then 46with no space in between.) Gee, you're probably saying by now, "it better be worth it!"
    Click here to reply to this post

  2. Re: Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
    Posted On: 06/04/06 02:50:19 PMAge 57, VA
    Correction! the site is www.understandthetimes.org/commentary/c46.shtml karen
    Click here to reply to this post

Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
Posted On: 05/24/06 10:32:56 AM Age 39, TX
Ken,your article is right on the money and is something that has long overdue. You just don't hear enough of the truth these days. The Roman Catholic Church has many doctrines that are not biblical. They have long been an apostate church, since the days of Martin Luther, who called the church out for her apostate teachings. Unfortunitly not many people these days want to study much of church history. Bravo for saying the truth and not hiding behind what is comfortable.
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Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
Posted On: 05/24/06 09:39:34 AM Age 59, FL
I think it is fair to say there are many (Christian) paths to our Homeland. No Chritian Denomination has a lock on all Truth. Our Loving Lord did not leave His children "orphans", when He ascended to His Father. For centuries the Roman Catholic Church taught and preserved the Faith of Our Loving Lord. Actuall, it was the Orthodox Church but lets not quibble. Having been raised Lutheran, become a Roman Catholic for 30yrs and now "home in the Orthodox Church, I take strong expection to your constant "the apsostate church of Rome". She is a Christian Church made up, "then" and "now" of weak human beings- and weak human beings can mess up royally-even Evangelical Protestants are not immune-Jimmy Swaggart as an example. With the world we live in (post-Christian at best), we should accenutate what we have in common-JESUS IS LORD! divided we fall-remember! As for this apostasy- again, Evangelical Protestants are not immune nor is the World Council of Church-now there is a spawn of the devil! Also, on another note, contemplative prayer IS IN NO WAY EVEN CLOSE TO TM! Alon, in the Presence of Jesus, just He and I and all else shut out for a time-a time of inner spiritaul refreshing to be able to give more when I return to my normal day--you have a problem with that? Stop continuing the Reformation! You are fiddling while the rest of the world, especially Christians, burns!
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  1. Re: Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
    Posted On: 03/03/07 08:47:43 PMAge 56, MN
    MANY ways to the FATHER, really is that right. WHICH FATHER are you speaking of? GOD has not left a ROMAN CATHOLIC orpan I BEG TO DIFFER, no roman catholic is HIS ADOPTED child, how can they be, MARY IS THEIR GOD. YOUR not allowed more than ONE GOD. the BIBLE says JESUS is the (ONLY) mediator, what CHRISTIAN church prays to ANOTHER GOD called MARY? FIRST commandment " HAVE no OTHER GODS before me, since the bible says JESUS is the ONLY Mediator, that would tell you NO DICE praying TO THRU AROUND i dont care what ya call it, BUT HIM! GOD the FATHER doesnt hear any prayers going thru the GRAPEVINE thru ANYONE who didnt shed their blood for our sins. WHEN DID MARY DO THAT? ANSWER --- NEVER!
    Click here to reply to this post

  2. Re: Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
    Posted On: 05/24/06 04:59:04 PMAge 57, VA
    Moral failure is different from teaching heresy. We all sin and fall short but there is no leeway in the scritpures to teach whatever we want or even to add to the scriptures. Limbo, praying to Mary, purgatory, mortal sins, veniel sins, the rosary and repetitive prayers, having to pray additional prayers (penance) after confessing to a man before your sins are absolved, infant baptism, the bread and the wine BECOMING THE ACTUAL body and blood of Christ, praying for the dead to leave purgatory and enter heaven and on an on are not the same as Jimmy Swaggart's moral failure. These things are a things that Apostle Paul was referring to when he said, "let them be accursed, those who preach a different Gospel from the one He preached. Jesus is the Rock on which the church stands, not Peter, a married man who followed Jesus and was fallible.
    Click here to reply to this post

  3. Re: Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
    Posted On: 05/24/06 03:35:36 PMAge 53, MN
    I can appreciate your desire to believe the best about the RCC, however, I strongly recommend and refer you to a website that addresses centering prayer/contemplative prayer practices and scriptural reasons as to why it is wrong. Brian Flynn wrote a book entitled, "Running Against the Wind." Another excellent resource is the book, "A Time of Departing" by Ray Yungen. Both go into detail and explain why this is a dangerous practice. Brian's book is also a personal testimony and compares contemplative prayer to TM. If you really want to understand the truth of this practice, I encourage you to check out his website at www.onetruthministries.com. Scripture teaches there is only ONE way, ONE truth. Jesus said "I AM the way the truth and the life, NO man comes to the Father but through ME.(Jn 14:6) "There is salvation in NO ONE else; for there is NO other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (ONLY Jesus Christ) Eph 2:8-9. HE IS the ONLY way. There is no other way. And if any one preaches a gospel contrary to that, they are to be accursed!(Gal 1:8-9) Scripture will always interpret scripture. Re: RCC and Reformation. The Catholic Church believes that Salvation is based on a works performance as opposed to those who believe the Bible which teaches that salvation is a GIFT of God THROUGH Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast." Until you take a long hard look at what the Catholic Church teaches and understand what the reformation was all about in preserving the Biblical faith, I fear that you will believe a lie. Ultimately, it is not just a matter of messing up in the faith but PRESERVING the faith that was handed down to the saints once for all -- which was what the Reformation was all about. Thanks for hearing me out.
    Click here to reply to this post

Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
Posted On: 05/24/06 09:00:13 AM Age 51, OH
As a former Roman Catholic, I think Pastor Silva has captured the TRUTH of the RCC! Everything involved with the mass is apostate, and unbiblical! I pray for my family to come OUT of her, as well of the scores of others that are in bondage to the deceit that the RCC generates. Thank you for having the courage to say so!! God bless your ministry!!
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Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
Posted On: 05/24/06 07:42:16 AM Age 51, NH
Just a quick note to say that there are many Catholics who do not approve of centering prayer coming into the church! I think you will enjoy checking this website out and reading some very interesting articles... http://www.crossveil.org/page2.html
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Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
Posted On: 05/24/06 07:14:22 AM Age 66, IN
Thank you so much for this article. I have added apprising ministries to my favorites. There is so much material in the link that I followed, that I want to go back to it again. For those who don't have the background knowledge of Gnosticism in detail, it is easy to be fooled by the oneness talk. However, the minute one asks where is Jesus in all of this, then there is clarity. For those who love the Lord, there is emptiness in anything that does not acknowledge Him as God over all. How awful to confuse "Christ living in us" with the Gnostic belief that all have a divine spark. I will follow your future articles with great interest.
Click here to reply to this post



Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
Posted On: 05/24/06 05:50:04 AM Age 58, ON
Absolute rubbish; but then, I'm a pluralist. Let's take the following as an example. The Chinese culture is as old as the Jewish/Christian culture, but was isolated from the west until the middle of the last millenium. Can you really believe that God made no effort to reach out to the Chinese, or to the native North Americans, or to any of the thousands of cultures that were beyond the reach of the Jewish prophets, and later of the Christian missionaries? Can you believe that a God of love would abandon 98% of the world's population for thousands of years? I can't believe that, so the logical extension is that within the spiritual traditions of other cultures, the voice of God can be found. Almost all spiritual traditions have literalists who claim that their way is the only way. This is true of Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and many others. If a spacecraft descended, and the aliens said they were looking for spiritual truth, how would they choose between these competing claims? (In fact, my guess would be that they would choose Buddhism, because it is the least dogmatic and the most consistently anti-war). I am a Christian pluralist, because Jesus expresses best what I believe; but this in no way means that there isn't spiritual truth in other traditions as well, truth that we can also learn from.
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  1. Re: Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
    Posted On: 05/28/06 03:09:05 PMAge 53, SC
    While you may claim to be a "christian" pluralist and that you follow what Jesus taught, your self-nomer is an oxymoron. Jesus was not a pluralist or relativist; He stated uncategorically that He was THE way, THE truth and THE life - no man comes to the Father except through Him. That to me is a very narrow way; which Jesus Himself claims that the gate is narrow - but broad is the way that leads to destruction. Truth by definition is narrow and while some of the philosophical writings found in other religion's books may contain truth, the standard is whether or not that "truth" is found in Scripture.The fact that "you can't believe" a loving God would behave in a way that you don't understand simply underscores your anthropromorphic understanding of God as opposed to a Biblical one. God is the Sovereign God of the universe and as such can dictate whatever terms He requires for mankind to approach Him.He has revealed Himself throughout the ages to every kindred, tribe and nation prior to missionaries, churches etc. throughout all creation, according to Romans, so that man is without any excuse to deny God. It is man's sin nature that continues to find reasons to doubt His existence and question His right, as the Sovereign God, to dictate His terms for salvation.
    Click here to reply to this post

  2. Re: Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
    Posted On: 05/25/06 07:29:57 AMAge 50, NH
    Youu wrtie: "I'm a pluralist...I am a Christian pluralist, because Jesus expresses best what I believe." I would also politely add a relativist. If one takes the inerrant and infallible Words of Holy Scripture as coming from God the Holy Spirit Himself, which by the way Jesus Himself did, there is no such thing as a "Christian" pluralist. By definition a "Christian" is one who has been regenerated by God, by His grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ (Who is God) alone. As such we then are bound as bond-slaves to obey His Word in the Bible. Before you use mutually exclusive terms such as Christian pluralist anymore, I humbly suggest that you read the Gospel of John once again and particularly note the eyewitness testimony recorded in John 8:23-30, 39-47, and 14:6. Pastor Ken Silva
    Click here to reply to this post

    1. Re: Re: Re: The Church of Rome Spawned the Current Apostasy
      Posted On: 05/26/06 01:22:52 PMAge 40, TX
      Amen! You CANNOT use "Christian" and "Pluralist" together. They are opposites! Christ taught the narrow way and that we are to strive to enter there. God Bless....Mike
      Click here to reply to this post



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