AMERICAN BABYLON:
MOTHER OF HARLOTS
FALSE RELIGIONS OR MOVEMENTS STARTED IN AMERICA
“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.”
–Revelation 17:4-5
The Bible speaks of a great end times country called Babylon. Revelation 17 and 18 call the country “Babylon the Great.” A great end times false church will rise to world power from Babylon. This church will be the whore church of Babylon the Great, described in Revelation 17:4-5.
Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.”
Many Christians erroneously call the whore church “Mystery Babylon.” The Bible states that the identity of Babylon the Great and the whore Church are a mystery–not the name of the country and Church.
The great country of Babylon will be “Mother of Harlots.” In the Bible, a harlot is used to symbolize any false religion which entices believers away from God Almighty. The harlot always symbolizes spiritual unfaithfulness and spiritual harlotry.
Therefore, Babylon the Great will be a fertile place for false, antichrist religions. Currently, the United States of America fits this description to a “T.” Over two dozen false religions or religious movements have sprung from the fertile American soil of “religious liberty.” In America, every religion–even pagan, satanic ones–are protected by the power of the state.
List of Religious Movements which began in the United States
One of the false religions which did not materialize was centered around a “new Bible” called Oahspe.
Oahspe – (h/t:F) The 19th and early 20th century were great times for the creation of religions in America; many, it’s suspected, by the Freemasons and their allies. The Bible specifies that Babylon the Great is the mother of harlots. And America has been the home and mother of a number of false religions, especially those which are deceptively similar to Christianity.
Oahspe, while not a religion per se, was a sort of bible waiting for a religion to rally around the book. Though not a religion, its proponents were called “faithists.”
Oahspe: A New Bible is a book published in 1882, purporting to contain “new revelations” from “…the Embassadors of the angel hosts of heaven prepared and revealed unto man in the name of Jehovih…” It was written by an American dentist, John Ballou Newbrough (1828–1891), who reported it to have been produced by automatic writing, making it one of a number of 19th-century neo-revelationist works attributed to that practice. Adherents of the revelation expounded in Oahspe are referred to as “Faithists”.
Oahspe and the faithists were a harlot church which never took root in the fertile soil provided by American Babylon. Below is a list of religions/religious movements which got their start in USA, protected by that “religious freedom” that Americans have come to worship. It is a substantial list, though not complete by any means. A 50-year period beginning in the 1830s with the founding of the Mormons was a particularly creative period for the founding of new religions in America.
Almost all of these religions are marked by claims of “new revelation.”
- Shakers [The Shakers were founded in England but soon moved to the USA.]
- Latter Day Saint movement/Mormonism,
- Adventist/Millerites [The birthplace of Ellen G. White was maintained by the Masons for years.]
- Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science)
- The Theosophical Society (Eastern Theosophy)
- Jehovah’s Witnesses [The founder, C.T. Russell is buried under a huge pyramid in the Masonic graveyard in Pittsburgh, PA.]
- Christian Universalism/Unitarianism
- New Thought Movement
- Spiritualism
- Pentecostalism, Neo-Pentacostalism, Third Wave
- Nation of Islam
- Scientology [L. Ron Hubbard was a well-known practitioner of the occult, but was also widely reported to be a Mason.]
- Church of Satan
- Jesus Culture
- Prosperity Theology
- The Rosicrucian Fellowship (Esoteric Christianity, Western Theosophy, Western mystery tradition
- Dominion Theology, Christian Reconstructionism, charismatic/Pentecostal Kingdom Now theology and New Apostolic Reformation.
- International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
- Emergent Church
- International House of Prayer (IHOP), Vineyard Movement
- Latter Rain, Manifest Sons of God, Joel’s Army
“Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.“
–Judges 2:3
Mothers of harlots indeed.
NOTE: This list is FAR from complete. It does NOT include such sects as snake handling or doomsday cults. It does not include those Christian counterfeits such as Catholicism or Lutheranism.
This list contains ONLY A FEW antichrist religions not begun in America.
This list MAY be updated and expanded upon in the future. Until then, it’s necessary for the reader to examine the sect he is in.
It is the truth that if the reader sincerely does not want to be deceived, he will not be.
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
–Colossians 2:8
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
Tender Mercies of the Lord: Will Not Always Be Available
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
—John 20:31
THE GOSPEL
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
RELATED ARTICLES
- False Religions!
- Do You Know if You are Going to Heaven? Be Sure!
- False Religion
- The Antichrist: An American Deception
- Babylon the Great
- Persecution of the Saints: The Fear and the Pit and the Snare
- American Apostasy: The end times American apostate Church
- Roman Road to Eternal Salvation through Jesus Christ
by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-14. © Mondo Frazier, DBKP and End Times Prophecy Report, 2007-14. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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End Times Prophecy Report 
I agree with most of your assessment, but Pentecostalism is not idolatry. Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater…
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I always carefully consider all of your comments.
Which is why it is not possible to address this one in a quick comment–an article will be necessary. Most probably a long one.
The comment is fair; it deserves a thorough, detailed answer that can be documented.
As a former member of a Pentacostal church who is surrounded by Pentacostals (including some saved ones), as someone whose family contains long-time Pentacostals and as someone who is familiar with Pentacostal churches, history and fruit, there is indeed idolatry present in these churches–as there is in most churches these days.
But it is the roots and the FRUIT of the movement that most concerned me in this article, which is why I lumped Pentacostalism, Neo-Pentacostalism and Third Wave together: They all spring from the same roots. There are other branches and other fruits that come from these roots. The fruits are what need to be examined.
So, a more complete answer will have to be postponed for a short while.
“Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
Is there a Bible verse for that one?
Some maintain that it is a paraphrases of 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20; it’s close, but it’s not a paraphrase.
We’re to hold onto whatever is good and reject what is bad. If the baby is bad, we’re to reject it. If the the bathwater is good, we’re to keep it. We don’t reject or keep according to pre-determined categories, but on a case-by-case examination of each item with the Word of God.
That is one reason I enjoy your writing: you are a careful (and truthful) examiner of the items you examine. After you examine something, you are then bold in what you have found.
Truth + Error = Error.
If something contains error, but also contains the truth, we’re not to teach it or accept it. We’re to reject it. That there is truth mingled with error is not a random occurrence, but a scheme of the enemy. It’s his most effective way of subverting the truth. He mingles one part lie with five parts truth and that is a very effective way to deceive.
That is also the usual recipe for effective propaganda or disinformation in the media: 1 part lie to 5 parts truth. Another effective part of this strategy for changing the truth into a lie: once the one part lie has been introduced, keep building upon it.
Refer back to it in future pieces (the callback), especially in an incidental, offhand way which presumes the reader knows the lie is truth. Make the lie a part of accepted truth. Then move to one of the other parts and attack it. Over the course, of time, all truth will eventually be attacked and overcome in the public’s mind.
The enemy is extremely clever and good at what he does.
Thanks for your comment!
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‘Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater’ is an American proverb on human nature. Pentecostalism is an authentic, worldwide movement of the Spirit. I no longer attend Pentecostal churches locally, but I’ll always be Pentecostal. What have you been exposed to and rejected? Your skepticism is dangerous. Truth can be mixed with errors and lies; I still try to find and keep the truth. Your choosing to reject the mix is wrong. It’s like servants wanting to uproot wheat with the tares (Matthew 13:24-30). According to you, people should uproot truth whenever it’s mixed with errors and lies. This is “throwing out the baby with the bathwater” and it’s wrong. Have you tried to weed a garden? If you uproot good plants along with weeds, you’ll have an empty garden with no harvest. Is that what you want? Four parts truth with one part lies is not a whole lie. Throwing out the mix when you find even one lie is easy. Finding and keeping truth is hard, but it’s worth it. Don’t reject the truth, wherever it’s found, just the lies.
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Interesting, with a lot of points.
“Your skepticism is dangerous.”
And yet, time and again, Scripture warns the Christian to be skeptical; to not accept doctrines which sound good, look good, or feel good or are almost correct. The universal problem at the end of the age isn’t that the Church is too skeptical. The problems with the Church all stem from not enough skepticism and doctrines (and the men who preach them) which look like Christianity but are from the enemy. (Rev 13:11)
Aren’t you mixing two different ideas here? The wheat and tares is not referring to doctrine but to believers and non-believers; about rooting out non-believers from amongst believers. About letting God and Jesus do the ultimate judging between true believers and those who are clever counterfeits. Humans cannot know the heart, therefore, it’s Jesus who has to do the ultimate judging on that account.
But where doctrine is concerned: that is a different matter altogether according to Scripture.
Again, Christians are to root out error whenever and wherever it occurs and not sanction it. They are to mark and warn other believers of anyone who spreads error. Many of the epistles were written specifically to deal with false teachers and their doctrines (2 Peter, 1 and 2 John and Jude in particular).
Try the spirits. Hold fast to what is good. Reject what is error.
Once more, Truth + Error = Error.
“According to you, people should uproot truth whenever it’s mixed with errors and lies.”
Actually, it’s not “according to [me].”
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. – 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. – Romans 12:9
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. – Ephesians 5:10-11
He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. – Titus 1:9
This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; – Titus 1:13
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. – Titus 2:1
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. – 2 Timothy 4:2-4
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. –1 Timothy 6:3-5
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. – 1 John 4:1
Truth plus error has always been the most effective way of corrupting God’s Word–even in Peter, Paul and John’s day. We’re not to tolerate a mix of truth and lies. We’re to (instantly, immediately) reject the lies and hold to the truth. By constantly holding to the truth, we will know when corrupted (truth + lies) doctrine is being preached.
Pentacostalism started with a very good idea: man’s sincere desire to worship God. That is not a bad desire. That is a biblical idea. IF that idea ALONE would have been emphasized, a great many errors would have been avoided.
However, that biblical desire has been used to justify a great many unbiblical practices, doctrines and experiences–and in only a little over 100 years.
Pentacostalism and neo-Pentacostalism and Third Wave all have the same root teachings. Those teachings–no matter how pleasing they may be to the flesh–begin with the elevation of experiences above the Word of God. They continue to new revelation which challenges the Word of God. Where do they end? We’re seeing it unfold daily. The Bible tells us it will continue right up until the end.
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” – Matthew 7:16-17
“A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” –Matthew 7:20
“Don’t reject the truth, wherever it’s found, just the lies.”
On this–and ultimately, this is the theme of the discussion– we are both 100 percent agreed.
A good discussion.
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Psychiatry/psychology has their mascot Psyche, the ancient goddess. Could this represent a world religion masking itself as medicine and politics? They give orders to draw blood. Maybe the “Great Whore” is being promoted, already, in the name of health.
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Jeremiah,
It’s helpful to have the false systems originating in the U.S. listed here together. It is an important study. I want to take many of these links to read. Seeing these makes me more unhappy than ever about pledging allegiance, especially in church, as we’ve been asked to do at times. (Hard to believe? It’s true. May the Lord have pity on us.)
However, from the testimony of God’s Word and of prophecy fulfilled in history, I don’t believe that the U.S. is the Mother of Harlots – for one thing, she’s too young. But she is obviously a prime place in which she and her daughters have flourished.
The Lord identified this Mother in clear terms: she dresses in scarlet and purple and holds a golden cup full of abominations from the filthiness of her fornication; and she is drunk on the blood of the saints. For centuries we’ve known where the seat of Antichrist is, and that this man of sin has been seated in the temple of God (Christ’s church) saying that he is God, and murdering Christians and Jews, and anyone who opposes her. But now that the danger is greatest, we dismiss this or say she is just one of several players in the end times scene, not the central one. Making people look away from this Mother has been a full-time job for her militant wing.
At other times, I’ve hoped to say this to you, but I’ve been somewhat of a coward, as I still show myself to be in not naming her outright. But too, the Bible tells us to pursue those things which make for peace among the brethren.
Maria
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Maria,
Don’t hesitate to say anything.
Actually the Bible is very clear: she is just one of several players in the end times scene. Revelation 13 tells us that there is more than one player in the end time scene: there are two beasts. I do not dismiss the first beast nor the second beast: Revelation 13 states that they work in conjunction using deception. And so they will.
Interpretations for centuries have pointed to Rome–and I’m certainly a believer that Rome is an evil, worldly empire. Rome will have her part to play. The Bible assures us of that. But there are a great many Scriptures which the Bible CLEARLY states is Jerusalem and which various interpreters down through the centuries (including many today) say is Rome. For example:
Revelation 11:8
“And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.”
There is no way any honest person could say this is referring to any place other than Jerusalem. Yet, Albert Barnes manages to jump through enough hoops of semantics to place this clear Bible reading in–yes, Rome.
“In inquiring what “city” is here referred to, it would be necessary to find in it such abominations as characterized Sodom, or so much wickedness that it would be proper to call it Sodom. If it shall be found that this was designed to refer to Papal Rome, no one can doubt that the abominations which prevailed there would justify such an appellation.”
–Barnes NT Commentary
Adam Clarke see the hoops but doesn’t quite jump through them, also pointing to Rome.
“Some say Rome, which may be spiritually called Sodom for its abominations, Egypt for its tyrannous cruelty, and the place where our Lord was crucified, because of its persecution of the members of Christ; but Jerusalem itself may be intended. All these things I must leave to others.”
Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible
Other commentators have been quick to point to Rome–and only to Rome–as Babylon, as the great harlot, as the seat of antichrist. The Bible has much to say on all of this. Rome will certainly play her part–and her part appears to be as a grand deception, a distraction that will be overthrown for all to see.
And then, the real man of sin will emerge.
The Bible is not silent on any of this. Putting it all in its proper place? That’s still a work in progress. But Rome has basically been holding up signs for centuries saying “Look at me! I’m antichrist!” We get that. Satan is very deceptive. He deceives the whole world.
The dishonesty of various interpreters on this point also raises suspicions.
I agree: the USA is NOT the Mother of Harlots. The article was not to provide evidence that the USA is. As outlined at the beginning of the piece,
“The Bible speaks of a great end times country called Babylon. Revelation 17 and 18 call the country “Babylon the Great.”
There is disagreement on whether the whore is this great end times country spoken of, especially in Jeremiah 50 and 51. Many of the passages in Jeremiah 50-51 are parallel with Revelation 17 and 18. Understanding the relationship between the whore (apostate religious system) and Babylon (the great end times country) will help understand what is to take place. This country (Babylon) is described in over 20 Bible verses.
It’s called the “hammer of the world.” It is the strongest country on earth before God breaks it in two.
It’s called the “voice” that the entire world listens to.
It is a country whose mighty men are the great merchants of the world.
…and so on.
I do not confuse the apostate religious system which is to rise (and which is quickly taking shape now) and the country. God has been good: a great many of the pieces BASED ON SCRIPTURE have fallen into place over the last year.
However, there are various bits and pieces which need to be reconciled. One of these pieces is what Jesus called the “synogogue of Satan.” When, IF, all of the pieces come into place, then I will write about them. In the meantime, I have to warn with what I have.
Yes, and others dressed in scarlet and purple long before Rome also adopted those colors.
Make no mistake: Rome is a player in the end times deception.
But also make no mistake: Rome is not the be-all, end-all that many “teachers” teach. The Bible does not teach that. To believe that it does is deception. Rome IS one of several. Revelation 13 makes that more than clear.
Thanks for your comment! It was thought-provoking.
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Hi, Jeremiah! After spending more than an hour answering you, I’m not posting my answer. I’m hesitant to continue to discuss this here.
Your points are clear. I don’t agree because I see prophecy as being fulfilled from the very beginning of the last days and throughout the ages, until Jesus returns to rescue us, judge evil, and rule in His millennial kingdom and then through the ages to come. Not everyone who holds this view has it all together, obviously. I read solid things like Richard Bennet’s analyses, historicism.com (not that on every point they are correct – they admit this in what they offer there), Alexander Hislop, and now I’ve started H. Gratten Guiness’s Rome and the Reformation.
I wrote my points out, but I think that this conversations would be better in a Bible study, where we could pray – a lot. My husband and I have been studying and praying about this. We were raised as baby Christians in the pre-trib. rapture world. Imagine our concern for others.
God bless you, brother! Your work is important. Also, brothers will sometimes disagree on nonessentials, but never on Who Jesus is and what He has done for us!
Maria
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Maria,
Good answer.
Yes, I agree this is a hard one to study out within the context of comments on a piece.
At present, we here continue various correspondence/conversations with a great many people on various points. In fact, sometimes, we specifically seek out people who are very knowledgeable (but with which we disagree) not to convince, but to check our own efforts through others who study the Word.
The consensus around these parts only 18 months ago was “Rome.” There was certainly enough evidence to suggest that conclusion. And not only a LOT of evidence, but evidence which we placed confidence in (primarily older Christian teachings of the last 400-500 years). However, further study of the BIBLE–as opposed to men–led us to question those earlier conclusions.
I believe historicism has its place. I also believe that historicism can point to some fulfilled prophecies. Whether those prophecies have more than one fulfillment (near and far) is the question we have before us. Other examples of historicism’s fulfilled prophecies are questionable at best (for instance, the 1260 years ending in 1798 with Napoleon’s capture of the pope.) Many Adventists are great historicists. I’ve had some interesting chats with those fellows.
Have read Alexander Hislop and critiqued some of his work (The Two Babylons) as well. Hislop has some good information, some that is questionable and his borrowing of a clearly occult/pagan term for use in Scripture (where it is nowhere to be found otherwise) in his Introduction marks the entire work’s conclusions as highly suspect.
Bennett is one in a long line of “former Jesuits” who “saw the light” and began writing about the Catholic Church and prophecy. As mentioned, there are many of these men; most were either the subject of, or authors of a great many books (Malachi Martin and Alberto Rivera are two of the most notorious). Not being a believer in coincidence, one has to wonder why it is that so many Jesuit-trained men engaged in writing so many books only after “leaving” their society? We might think it to be the hand of God–except all of their books contain sly, unbiblical deceptions. Also coincidentally, one supposes.
I’m not familiar with H. Gratten Guiness yet.
Yes, I fully understand that position.
Let me know.
Thanks!
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Perhaps in the morning I’ll answer this. I wrote an answer but haven’t posted it – at this hour my judgment isn’t that great.
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Jeremiah,
A couple of things and some reminders about discussions.
First, these Biblical descriptions do fit Rome with its two keys or realms of spiritual and temporal power:
“It’s called the ‘hammer of the world.’ It is the strongest country on earth before God breaks it in two.
It’s called the ‘voice’ that the entire world listens to.
It is a country whose mighty men are the great merchants of the world.
…and so on.”
Second, some facts and an observation about your arguments:
Richard Bennett was born and raised in Ireland. Though he was educated in a Jesuit school for primary and secondary, he was a Dominican missionary priest. After a brush with death, He feared God and threw himself upon His mercy in Jesus Christ.
It’s easy to do what you did in your comment about him, raising suspicions about him and others instead of addressing their views. What did you mean about Alexander Hislop? In your opinion then, is he also questionable? Is everyone suspect? Do you alone seek sincerely to understand these things? Also, you have discredited historicism merely by associating it with the heresy of Adventism. Yes, they have made some bloopers, but does that mean that this principle of interpretation is totally nixed?
As the time draws nearer, more things will be made plain. In the meantime, we need to stop casting doubts on the character and intentions of other believers. We all do this (or at least think this way at times), and we need to kill this in ourselves – it’s a work of the flesh. (I’m not talking about pointing out wolves.) And even if we are duped for a time, isn’t this better than casting suspicions upon the brethren?
Maria
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Maria,
Thank you for your comment.
Is everyone suspect?
In a word: yes.
Including myself. Am I a man? Yes. The only total truth is God’s Word.
But everything outside of the Word of God?
Others may put their trust in men. We don’t. One had better become suspicious. The background here?
We know what it is like to put faith in men and then find out what you believe is 100% completely wrong. A sly lie. That’s an experience that will either make one very careful. Or retreat further into deception.
Some retreated further. If not for the mercy of God, we would have joined them or found other deceptions to champion.
“What did you mean about Alexander Hislop?”
Here’s the clearest example.
You are a student of the Word. Find in Scripture where it tells us about the “wheel of Providence.”
Hint: It doesn’t.
You have to look at pagan religions to find that concept. Oh, and “providence” is capitalized. That’s more than a blooper. That means Hislop is deifying it. On the very first page of his book, Hislop slips in a reference to an idol. He is advising his readers of his worldview. It is one that can’t be found in Christianity.
“The spokes of the wheel of Providence.”
There a multitude of sins in this one phrase. I’ve pointed out but one aspect.
Now, what one does with this information is up to the individual. One may double down and continue to put one’s faith in Alexander Hislop. I’m sorry. That will not happen here. It’s been discussed.
“Also, you have discredited historicism merely by associating it with the heresy of Adventism.”
I related the truth. Not all Adventists are historicists; not all historicists are Adventists. It wasn’t implied, but I’ll make it clear. If you believe that many Adventists are not historicists, then you are free to say so and support the statement any way you see fit.
“Yes, they have made some bloopers, but does that mean that this principle of interpretation is totally nixed?”
I thought I was very clear on this point. Let’s see what I said:
Nothing has changed since I wrote this.
“As the time draws nearer, more things will be made plain. In the meantime, we need to stop casting doubts on the character and intentions of other believers.”
I couldn’t agree more. In fact, I’d say that I completely agree.
I would add that as the time draws near, one had best be assured that the ones one is putting their faith in are really believers. We are to judge them.
I have read Hislop. Others have judged him, though more on points of accuracy and through the deceived lens of Catholic apologetics. I have judged him. Jesus warned us “Take heed that no man deceives you.” I am taking heed.
Others are free to put their trust in whatever men they may find agreeable to their points of view.
Oh, I disagree.
We are commanded to “Watch.” We are commanded to remain sober. We are commanded to watch for deception. We are commanded to be like the “noble Bereans.” We are commanded to rebuke and exhort. Yes, all of that necessitates extra work–particularly in our time when deception seems to permeate every every single thing we see, hear and touch. But those commands are not suggestions.
“And even if we are duped for a time, isn’t this better than casting suspicions upon the brethren?”
I don’t believe I’m familiar with that verse.
Thank you for taking the time to comment. Thanks for the reminders. I always enjoy your comments.
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Jeremiah,
First, some facts: I’m a Berean Christian, and I don’t put my trust in man. For example, I believe in the sovereignty of God in all things, as I think you know, because this doctrine is Biblical, not because I follow Calvin or any other man. Christian writings have been helpful in helping me see what the Bible teaches. You help people see this – that’s your ministry. For me Christian writings, when they’re Biblical, are like friends that teach me. I follow Jesus only.
About Hislop and other Christian writers, I read what they have to say and learn what I can, discerning errors according to His Word and the anointing of His Spirit, and dismissing everything that isn’t of God. I don’t think I would read Hislop again, by the way. For one thing the subject is HORRENDOUS, for another, I learned what I needed to know: that Romanism is Babylonian worship disguised as Christianity. I’ve moved on from his writings, but I can’t help but remember what he demonstrated, and find that it is confirmed in Daniel, Thessalonians, and Revelation. Besides studying His Word, I study church history. Also, I don’t always like his style, because as nineteenth-century prose it was meant to touch our so-called aesthetic sense, and once you start paying attention to this instead of truth, you are in trouble. You’ve showed this last point.
About the Wheel of Providence, you probably know that the pagan concept is the Wheel of the goddess Fortuna – no question that that is pagan. Hislop should never ever have used the wheel. In his book about America, Rulers of Evil: Useful Knowledge About Governing Bodies, F. Tupper Saussy made a case for the wheel being the mark of Cain (interesting that it appears on the Bishop of Rome’s miter as well as Babylonian artifacts). Even Saussy’s fine book is flawed. The last sentence blew me away, and I felt angry with him – he undermined his own work.
About capitalizing providence: it was the literary convention of Hislop’s day. He didn’t believe that providence is a god but the term for God’s rule over all things, even the smallest. I’m sorry that he used the wheel – it’s unbiblical, pagan – you’re right! After studying pagan belief and ancient cultures for as long as he did, its images affected him. However, in his defense, he was attempting to use all of his intellectual gifts in the battle to prevent Romanism from destroying Biblical Faith in England. He states his objective clearly, either in the preface or epilogue. It’s pitiful – and a good lesson for us – that a man of integrity and zeal could stumble badly while handling these things.
I try to be a Berean too, Jeremiah – as you do. God keep all of us from being deceived! I believe He will keep His children from CONTINUING IN deception. I thank Him that He rescued you.
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Maria,
Very nice reply.
“I follow Jesus only.”
He will never lead us astray!
Yes, that’s one of the pagan concepts. There are several, all of them more or less following along a few similar themes. The Wheel of Fortuna had to do with luck, fate. The larger view of the wheel denoted a completely different worldview from the one God gave believers. The wheel concept taught that time is a series of endlessly repeating cycles. Time is circular, like a wheel. This fits in with ideas of reincarnation and man having time to discover and perfect his divinity; to find that he is a god.
God’s Word teaches that time is a linear concept. It follows a straight path laid out by God. We live once and are judged. We have a chance to live for this life or for eternity.
“God keep all of us from being deceived! I believe He will keep His children from CONTINUING IN deception.”
I believe you are right!
It was only about 15-18 months ago that I re-read Hislop and I believed what he had written. I had a lot of other quotes, history and evidence to back it up. So, you are where I was in the spring of 2013. One of the questions that kept nagging me and made me re-visit it all was “If the dragon deceives the whole world, why were the popes not only announcing their intentions, but doing it in such a way as to draw the world’s attention to it?”
If they were to deceive the world, they weren’t doing such a good job. They weren’t even deceiving the apostate church.
But the Bible assures us of the deception. So it is there–just not in the way it was being broadcast. I knew the argument that they were consumed with hubris. But as Satan’s representatives, they have to know the devil is a hard master. He doesn’t tolerate shooting their mouth off when they should be quiet. The Vatican archives have plenty of secrets stashed away that haven’t seen the light of day in centuries. They can keep a secret.
At any rate, I wanted to thank you for the video on Rebbe Schneerson and Netanyahu you posted. It has led to very productive lines of research!
Thank you again!
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Jeremiah, I do see what you’re saying. Prayer and study for me and all of us.
You’re welcome!
Phil. 1:6
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The USA is not the Whore of Babylon though,,it is definitely one tentacle of it, but its true center is in Rome, more specifically, Vatican city.
The catholic so called church, is the Whore of Babylon. Rev 17 KJV
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spookchristian,
Thank you for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment.
The article never claimed the USA was the whore: only the fertile soil for the whore church.
Actually, the USA will be more the muscle behind the whore; a creation of the whore; the whore’s puppet.
No, sorry, there are many pawns of the whore and Rome is just another (though prominent) one.
In case any readers may be distracted, the article points to the USA as Babylon, though that may be giving the country a bit too much credit.
The whore is a RELIGIOUS SYSTEM (this is not Rome, though Rome plays a part) which rebelled from God Almighty through idol worship and slavish devotion to demonic power.
This comment is good reason to update the article and clarify some points.
Thank you once more for taking the time to leave a comment.
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