What the common Protestant Christian and citizen of the United States is ignorant of, was a well known fact with many, during the nineteenth century.

What was it that they, the common Christian, were ignorant of? Namely, the invasion of despotic Papal influence into the hard won civil liberties, which make up the foundation of this Nation.

I do not say “Christian liberties” because those liberties are the result of being born again and having the Spirit of God dwelling inside of us. But, it is this Christian liberty, the liberation of the soul from the bondage of the law, the liberty of conscience, that is rooted in Biblical Christianity, freeing us from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in any way, contrary to His Word, which is the cornerstone of true civil liberty. Today there is nary a word heard of this so dire an enemy. The awful result of not responding to this foe has been the nearly complete victory of, and even joining with, the Catholics in all their Pagan and heretical  beliefs.

Truth, and Protestant Christianity, the bloody and hard-fought prize of the Reformation, is diametrically opposed to that from which it has been freed:  mental and spiritual darkness, and the Roman Catholic Church. But, why the bloody protest? and why the present frightful silence? Is that, which was so hardily fought against, now our bosom buddy?

Are the words below, of Charles Spurgeon, still as true today as they were in January 1873?

—the superstition of Rome is the worst of all the evils which have befallen our race; may the Lord arise, and sweep it down to the hell from whence it arose.

Essence of lies, and quintessence of blasphemy, as the religion of Rome is, it nevertheless fascinates a certain order of Protestants, of whom we fear it may be truly said that "they have received a strong delusion to believe a lie, that they may be damned." Seeing that it is so, it becomes all who would preserve their fellow-immortals from destruction to be plain and earnest in their warnings. Not in a party-spirit, but for truth's sake, our Protestantism must protest perpetually. Dignitaries of the papal confederacy are just now very prominent in benevolent movements, and we may be sure that they have ends to serve other than those which strike the public eye. A priest lives only for his church; he may profess to have other objects, but this is a mere blind. Our ancient enemies have small belief in our common sense if they imagine that we shall ever be able to trust them, after having so often beheld the depths of Jesuitical cunning and duplicity. The sooner we let certain Archbishops and Cardinals know that we are aware of their designs, and will in nothing co-operate with them, the better for us and our country. Of course, we shall be howled at as bigots, but we can afford to smile at that cry, when it comes from the church which invented the Inquisition. "No peace with Rome" is the motto of reason as well as of religion.

We must have no truce, no treaty with Rome. War! War to the knife with her! Peace there cannot be.
C. H. S.

The unqualified answer is YES! his words still ring true today!  As the sun reaches its apogee and moves again to perigee, and the waves with regularity push up toward the sky, then back into the darkness, so the history of man upon the earth vacillates between hot and cold, light and darkness. The words of Spurgeon stands to warn us that even now we are moving back again into the darkness of embracing the anti-Biblical and paganistic ideas of Rome. 

Where can we expect the compromised, corrupted, Protestant leaders of 21 century Churches to lead us? Naturally, it would be backwards into falsehood, darkness, and delusion. The Bible warns us about how sensual the inclinations of the flesh are, and that at every opportunity it would attempt to lead us into fleshly worship experiences, through minute mixtures of paganism, with truth.

It is common and profitable for Pastors and authors to capitalize on this human weakness to pamper the flesh. True Christianity can be quite boring for the nominal believer compared to the flamboyance of pagan rituals that excite the flesh. The Christianity of Christ and the Apostles was of a simple nature, and a simple life, exemplified by the simplicity and pureness of worship and lifestyle, and not a flesh tingling experience. We should not be surprised, although we always are when we finally come into the light of truth, to find that there is, today, a near universal appeal to the flesh, through the senses, to grow Churches. The whole Catholic religion is based on the sensual, the experiential, the flesh, and consequently, the paganistic, to lure those, conditioned from birth, to un-conscientiously accept her teaching as the “gospel truth.”  These outward appeals , fashioning themselves to be “holy,” are the devises used to forge a strictly material organization called “church.” 

Is it any wonder that the now post-protestant church, being experientially based, finds little conflict with Catholicism, and seeks to capitalize on her proven methods of capturing souls for Jesus, and enslaving them to experiential forms of worship, rather than the freedom of simplicity? This is not conjecture, it is a fact!

A very well known, post-protestant author and professor (now deceased), Robert E. Webber writing to, “The Younger Evangelicals,” concerning, “facing the challenges of the new world” directs the young and naïve, who know nothing of their Protestant heritage, but know everything about the flesh, backwards into what he terms “ancient-future faith,” which is nothing but rehashed Catholicism and paganism, and does this without any kind of warning as to its origin. He does not advise these youngsters to investigate this mystical form of worship which generated the Inquisition and consequential death of 60,000,000 Christians for no other reason than they wanted to read the Bible, and understand it, as it is written. He does not highlight the fact that the so-called leaders were some of the most personally corrupt individuals to walk the planet. He does not remind us that the belief system of these ancient desert fathers rarely agreed with the Bible. These “fathers” interposed their own mystical gleanings over and above the Bible itself, and claimed their inspiration as valid; although it, in almost every case, conflicted with the words of Scripture. He, like the Catholic priest, minimizes Scripture and promotes experience to validate truth. Has the Catholic Church chosen to adopt the American way of freedom and partake of Reformation truth? No she has not reformed.

To give an example of where the post-protestant churches today are headed I will but reference the last commercial church I attended; Eagle Church (Christian and Missionary Alliance) in Whitestown, Indiana. While attending there it was not unusual to hear Eric Simpson, the assistant pastor, praise the Catholic Church. He would even take sabbaticals to monasteries. Eric has no respect for the multiplied millions who died to secure for him a pulpit to preach his duplicity. Eric is a closet Catholic duping the ignorant and leading souls back into darkness, where no salvation exist. Here is the web page where Eric promotes his love of Romanism.

Eagle Church is nowhere close to being the only example. If you would look closely at most “evangelical” Churches you will likely find the earmarks of the infiltration of paganistic Rome, either through spiritual formation, contemplative prayer,  the use of images, incense, lighting and sound effects, burning of candles, sacred spaces, sacred traditions, and many other things built upon multi-sensory, ancient-future, and vintage forms of worship, gleaned from the Roman Catholic Church.

The Church of Rome and the post-protestant evangelical church are kindred spirits, both promising the same thing, but by slightly different paths of experiences. What was once wrong and highly protested, not only by the faithful Church but also our founding fathers, is still wrong today. All of our preachers have become mute, who only speak sweetness, and are failing in their true calling to not only proclaim the Good News, but to warn the flock of the damning infiltration of Rome.

Not many today will even claim the name of “Protestant” to promote their Church; although most will still use denominational titles, identifying them with a particular sect.  Recently there is a move to hide behind the more docile, ecumenical, and generic titles of “community church” or “cultural center,” so as to blend with the world. There is a stigma attached to the word “protestant” that has been associated with bigotry and intolerance, and instills fear in the un-grounded and nominal believer. The word protestant Christian should be a badge of honor, that shows that a person stands against all falsehood, regardless of its origin, but especially against the spreading scourge of Romanism.

In 1835, in his Foreign Conspiracy Against the Liberties of the United States, Samuel Morse, inventor of the telegraph wrote: “Surely American Protestants, freemen, have discernment enough to discover beneath them the cloven foot of this subtle foreign heresy. They will see that Popery is now, what it has ever been, a system of the darkest political intrigue and despotism, cloaking itself to avoid attack under the sacred name of religion. They will be deeply impressed with the truth, that Popery is a political as well as a religious system; that in this respect it differs totally from all other sects, from all other forms of religion in the country.”

Following is the link to the book, “Foreign Conspiracy Against the Liberties of the United State”. Please take the time to read it, I guarantee it will be an eye opening education; download the complete book here .

For more reading:

• 50 Years in the Church of Rome by Charles Chiniquy
• People’s Padre by Emmett McLoughlin
• A Woman Rides the Beast by Dave Hunt
• Ecclesiastical Megalomania
• The Torch of the Testimony by John W. Kennedy
• The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop
• Roman Catholicism by Loraine Boettner
• History of the Christian Church by Phillip Schaff

By David Dombrowski

Used With Permission From Lighthouse Trails

A growing and subtle tactic that is actually producing more “bridges” is to invite speakers of differing values, perspectives, and doctrines to the same conference and thereby make the speaker of compromised or apostate teachings appear more credible.

It is all too easy in the busy world in which we live today to get caught up in worldly concerns that would tend to draw our hearts in a different direction than God intends. A Scripture that comes to mind is the one in Proverbs that says:

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

This Scripture tells us that we are to keep a watchful eye, or to guard our hearts, against things that would steal away from us the very things that are most precious in life. That is why it is good to stop from time to time to reflect, reevaluate, and check our compass bearings.

The fact is we are sojourners through this life, and this is not our permanent home. Like Abraham, we can set up a “tent,” but our permanent dwelling is not here. Jesus said:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Too often, for the Christian, anxiety and stress over the many things in life—be it business, finances, health, or possessions—overtake us. Yet Jesus said that our heavenly Father will take care of us if we seek His kingdom first. If our lives are full of worry and stress, like a thermometer or pressure gauge, it should be an indicator to us that we need to reevaluate our lives and decide if our treasures are truly in heaven and if we will cling to God’s promises to provide for us as He sees fit. Our recent involvement with the needs of theChristians in Kenya, Africa has even further driven the point to us that as North Americans especially we need to diligently watch where our true treasures are and not get caught up in “things.” In and of themselves, there is nothing wrong with having possessions as long as they do not rule our hearts. Whatever we have—whether it is earthly goods, health, intelligence, or education—these things are a loan to us and can only be of real benefit when they enable us to serve the kingdom of God in the cause of the Gospel. Paul, for instance, said:

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Philippians 4:12

Paul was a well-educated man who probably had known prosperity, yet he risked everything for the sake of the Gospel. That is why he could also say:

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. Philippians 3:7-8

Over the past few years, and especially this past year, Lighthouse Trails has become aware of a new strategy of the enemy. This should be of particular concern if you are a pastor, a Christian leader or author, or a conference speaker—someone who is influencing others. In a recent article, we made reference to some Christian figures, who we termed “bridgers.”1 These are pastors and Christian leaders who, while they themselves may have reputations as being traditional in their doctrine and teaching, are pointing their followers to Contemplative/New Age mystics and emerging/emergent church leaders. In other words, they are bridges to deception.

A growing and subtle tactic that is actually producing more “bridges” is to invite speakers of differing values, perspectives, and doctrines to the same conference and thereby make the speaker of compromised or apostate teachings appear more credible. For example, a pastor who has been dabbling in mysticism and is looking for a safe way to turn on his congregation to whatever he is practicing will invite a mystic to an upcoming conference; but he will simultaneously invite a conservative Bible teacher known for discernment to the same conference. By doing this, the pastor has now found a way to bring mysticism into his church under the guise of biblical truth. So, in essence, the biblical speaker has become a bridge to false doctrine.

Although this tactic seems rather benign to many, it is actually quite diabolical in that it brings confusion into the body of Christ. Those in the audience who are the more discerning will walk away from such conferences perplexed and disillusioned, while those lacking in discernment may have just taken a ride down the slide to apostasy and delusion. And, another result is that while it lifts the reputation of the false teacher (because he or she is sharing a platform with a biblical teacher), it actually weakens the reputation of the trusted biblical teacher. Oh how clever of Satan to perform such a multi-faceted maneuver. Everyone gets hurt!

We have been trying to warn some to beware of this tactic, which is actually being used in a religious/ political nature to give credence to those with emerging ideas. We have had mixed response to our appeal, but typically what we hear is that these biblical speakers see such conferences as opportunities to have a speaking platform. No matter who they share the platform with. This is what Kay Arthur’s ministry told us when we brought to their attention the problem with Kay Arthur sharing a platform with emerging figure Tony Campoloat the Breakforth event in Canada.

Something similar happened when Calvary Chapel mega-pastor Greg Laurie shared a platform at Lifefest 2011 with a Catholic priest. The priest is known for his work in bringing recognition to a Marian apparition. Harvest Ministries’ response to questions about Laurie attending this event with the priest was that this gave him a chance to share his message with the lost. 

We could give countless examples where this is happening. A few more are: Rick Warren being invited to share the platform with Chuck Smith at Greg Laurie’s Harvest Crusade (Warren also gave the opening prayer), Joel Rosenberg sharing the platform with Leonard Sweet at Breakforth, Norm Geisler speaking at Rick Warren’s first “Apologetics Weekend” (the following year, they had 3 well known contemplative speakers, but having Norm Geisler there the year before gave the conference credibility to many), the 2009 National Worship Leaders Conference brought Greg Laurie and Leonard Sweet together, John Piper inviting Rick Warren to his Desiring God event, and on the list could go.

Often, when Christian speakers are trying to justify their actions, they liken these opportunities to Paul speaking to the Greek philosophers on Mars Hill. But, if we are going to use this comparison, we should be ready to do as Paul did. In other words, if invited to such a conference, go ahead and go, but when you get there openly rebuke in the presence of the audience the apostate message of the false teacher sharing the same platform; only in this way can the audience gain a clear understanding of what is right and what is wrong. “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear” (1 Timothy 5:20).

Unfortunately, we know of few who would or have shown the courage to do this when put in that situation. And this is why we are recommending to those who are trying to maintain biblical integrity to stay away from such speaking opportunities. Too often, it’s easy to think that our message is so important that we should grab every opportunity to share it. However, in this context, even though these conferences may provide a speaking platform to get your message out to those who need to hear it, there is a two-fold downside to this: it minimizes the seriousness of the false teachings, and it neutralizes the message of others trying to share discernment with the church. In other words, a lot is lost, and nothing is gained. Our message then to those who speak at conferences is –please do not compromise just for the sake of your message; find out what you are getting into and with whom you will be sharing the speaking platform. And in no way put your message above the message of the Gospel. Remember the words in Scripture:

Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice. I Samuel 15:22

Going back to the idea of keeping watch over our hearts, we need to keep in mind that where our treasures are our heart will be there too. As committed Christians, should we not want our treasures to be in Heaven and in the things of the Lord? Remember Paul’s exhortation:

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1

Time is a precious commodity that we should not take for granted. Think of a sandglass or hourglass where you can literally watch time being poured out. Knowing that our time is relatively short, let us follow the injunction in Hebrews to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

Too many things hold us back from serving the Lord. In this verse in Hebrews, an illustration of an athlete is being used to show how, if we are to win a race, we need to strip off unnecessary weight. Scripture says that  God will give us wings like eagles, but if we are tied down with the affairs and cares of the world, we will never be able to fly.

Want to find out where your heart is? Search out where your treasure is—that commodity that means more to you than anything else in life—and you will discover that it is in the same place where your heart is. As believers in Jesus Christ, our hope should be that when we find that treasure, it will be in the same place God’s treasure is too.

At Lighthouse Trails, we feel very privileged to be given the opportunity to defend the Gospel. We are humbled that God has used the “weak things” and the “foolish things”  to confound the wise. Sometimes people call us to help solve their theological questions, and though we try to help as we can, we do not have all the answers. However, one thing we do know, and that is Christ and Him crucified. Jesus is the answer to what we really need; after all, isn’t life meant to be all about saving souls, and Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world? It’s that simple. Sometimes when people contact us, we get the notion when they test and probe us on theological questions that some of them think our ministry is all about having all the right answers to every theological matter. Perhaps some think that Lighthouse Trails expects all pastors to have a correct understanding of all the Scriptures. But, we know that all pastors are fallible, and we have never expected any Christian leader to be either sinless or inerrant. To expect a pastor to have all the answers is not only unrealistic but also a burden that no one can bear.

But what really does matter is—what do we think about the Cross and what do we think about God’s Word? Sadly, many of the new emerging contemplative leaders are preaching a Christ-less Word-less gospel. Likewise, those who practice mysticism through contemplative prayer inevitably come to the day when the atonement means nothing to them; we have seen this happen time and again. God knows that mysticism connects people to the demonic realm, and that is why it is forbidden in Scripture (Deuteronomy 18:9-15). Yet, again, mysticism is becoming the common practice of our day. It does not take a theological scholar to see that there is something wrong here.

Though the Gospel is a simple message—that Jesus died to make atonement for sin—nothing has ever come under more attack because Satan knows if he can destroy the message of the Gospel  (or the messengers of the Gospel), he has destroyed Christianity and destroyed the message by which we find salvation. His continual quest is to undermine our belief in the saving work of Jesus Christ. That is why, perhaps more than any time before, we must “keep thy heart with all diligence.”

Notes:

1. Term by Ingrid Schlueter.

The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Part Three

The Christian Fools Paradox, Black Is Black?

and White Is Actually White?

Part One

Part Two

An offering of bliss, or an intolerant assault on insanity?

The Christian lives his/her life in conflict, or at least they should, say true wisdom. There is not only the conflict of their life with the world, a continual struggle of lifestyles; but there is the conflict of paradox; living a life of contradiction, as seen from the natural man when compared to the Bible. Folly makes capital of the wisdom that postulates that we must die to live, we must mourn to be joyous, we must surrender to be victorious, we must hate to love, we must follow to lead, we must become poor to be rich, we must become the least to become the greatest, we must be blind to see, we must work to rest, and we must be homeless to have a home. The hardest thing a Christian can do is to be faithful to this life of self-contradiction, and this is the greatest contradiction of all, that it cannot be done by any of them. This paradox brings much scorn and laughter from Folly and her cohort of motley fools, whether they are humanist, trans-humanist, or the new variety of "Christian" humanist; or just the generic tomfools lacking any sense of judgment or understanding.

As contrary as Christian truth appears to those outside, the “truth” of the world is even more-so. For with the world, even though they use the word truth, they can never see black as black, or white as white; the ground is always giving way under their feet and balance is found in a vacuum of uncertainty. To understand anything absolutely, is to wage war with the Queen of conundrums and lord of the ludicrous; better to go with gray; a moving target is hard to nail down. They see the world as silly putty; fashioning peace on the passing approximations of plastic truth, and take their stand in the flux of creative thinking, having their feet firmly planted on nihilistic delusions. Is not this the paradox of paradox; the confidence to trust the wreathing truth of the witless?

In Folly’s jovial irreverence she sees only those things that lend to pleasure and happiness. Everything she represents is geared to produce the “happy human,” but she never deliberately divulges at what cost her happiness is procured. Whole societies are instituted for nothing else than to worship and adore her in drunken humanistic happiness; but the folly of Folly is that she cannot keep us laughing, and the truth of despair, frustration, loneliness, and guilt keep returning, calling us back to a tormented sort of sanity, which by design encapsulates a hope of deliverance. There is not enough foolishness in Hell to keep back the truth of our depravity; and our own consciousness of damnation is a signal that help is very near, that rescue is a reality, and that our sight can be restored. But, Folly in her cunning, foolishly makes us think we have no sin, when we are all sin, through-and-through; then periods of powerful soberness invade our inebriated slumber and the penetrating light of conviction brings our eyes wide open, and is the signal that it is time to fly to Jesus; a way of escape has once more opened into a foolish heart.

But many also are the Christian foolish, who have seemingly fled to the threshold of faith toting a truckload of earthly gained talents, on a quest to the Celestial City, and to build something for Jesus, and found the gate a difficult endeavor, (I think strait is the term), not adapted to heavy loads or self-imposition; and turning to a less treacherous and more stimulating way lead off into the fog of delusions, half truths, and the perceived values of good marketing. Folly wants us to believe that we are some new kind of Jew, that we must be working, doing, working, doing, and doing some more, whether in sweat, song, or sermonizing; when in truth the dead do nothing. If we want to do something for Jesus we must first do nothing at all. “Unless a grain of corn falls to the ground, and die. . . .”  “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” (Jim Elliot)

The Cost of foolishness; it is much more than any of us can afford. Since foolishness is nearly universal, then we need only inquire of those whose job it is to gather facts and statistics and see for ourselves the very high price of frequenting the house of Folly. With the increase of foolishness comes increased cost, and foolishness is habitual, so consequently, the ultimate bankruptcy of her children. The cost of foolishness is not apparent all at once, but is generally hidden in our slumbering attitudes of acceptance over time; it becomes a “norm.” Early America was characterized by Pilgrims and Puritans in sacrificial service to God who gave them great abundance through enormous loss. These many years later, their progeny is characterized by religious entrepreneurs, lost in their own self-consciousness, making merchandise of men’s souls. And, this attitude is equally wretched in the not-so-pious group known in the new religious jargon as “the un-churched,” who used to be called “lost.” Their lostness or un-churchedness, or what-ever, is best portrayed in the form of statistics, but is probably seen by them as being progressive and diverse, or even culturally hip.

Folly has our eyes fixed on the surface of things and is always involving us in some gag to prevent our eyes seeing below the crust. Truth is not generally apparent in superficial things, or trivial things that only have the appearance of importance. It takes a discerning eye to perceive, or judge, on matters of true truth. Truth is more than a definition or mental favoritism of “what is.” Truth is a revelation of the right “idea” coming to mind when you hear the word of the Lord. The word of truth should be neither an empty sound nor a vague notion of what is meant. What did Jesus mean when He said, “I am the truth”? Folly would state something merely intellectual that she could hand out or teach a class on, and leave lying on a shelf to gather dust. Jesus, on the other hand, meant something vital, something alive, self-sustaining, and so vital that all relationships are subject to it; He was not just speaking truth, He is Himself the embodiment of truth; all truth is comprehended in Him. Folly merely puts the highest word she knows to the highest fact she knows, and calls it the–truth; but is there a higher order? In our world of jest and joviality we say no, but in our moments of extreme mental anxiety we pray there is a higher order, and the real hope of such a thing keeps us off the bridge. But, we cannot know “truth” until we know the soul of truth and that soul’s true determination; we need "truth in the inward parts."

Christian truth appears to be an assault on what the world calls sanity, but what is the truth? The Great Physician has told us not to listen to all the voices in our head, but to follow His prescription precisely.

John 7:17 “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.”

 John 8:31,32 “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

John 15:7 “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

2 John 1:9 “Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”

The world is a hellish insane asylum with all the doors left open and the most insane of all become the ward keepers and directors. The best that the resident doctors can do is to keeps us all medicated and away from any desire to escape into the light of true truth pretending to see beyond the realm of our detention. In the world of the benumbed  truth is like the pretty shells along the sea shore, everyone holding fast their prettiest one, never lifting eyes to gaze upon the mighty ocean from which it came.  Reality for them is found in the debris that is washed ashore; the remains of the catastrophe that once was life. They see shadows and glimmerings of things that speak of another time, but never question the reality of the once living thing that is now dead, and carefully placed on the mantelpiece to enchant us.

We never question the remote presence of flowers, even though we cannot see them, when their scent reaches our nostrils; or the nearness of a restaurant when the smell flows down the corridor of some mall; nor the fact that water exist when thirst awakens our desire. Every man and woman has been given the innate desire and sense of the supernatural that Folly masks in humor or ridicule; but have you every desired something that has no root in reality or fulfillment; your desire is prophetic of its own fulfillment. Reason and logic are confounded when presented with the true facts. 

The truth is ever before us and is nowhere hid from those who want to see it; and the truth is much more exciting than the lie. 

Think for a moment now, and ask yourself, What color is my world? Do I live in the light of truth or the fog of folly? In every thing you do, and every answer you give, test yourself; you may be quite surprised at what you find.

Against her better judgement, this could be the very best gift you receive this year; plucked from the fist of Folly.

By David Dombrowski

Lighthouse Trails Editor

Over the past ten years, we have watched with a mixture of surprise and sadness at how an apostate church has materialized before our eyes. It all began for us here at Lighthouse Trails when we met Ray Yungen in 2000. Though we were not publishers back then, he shared with us his manuscript A Time of Departing, which spoke of a coming apostasy in the form of mystical practices and “spiritual disciplines.” Stirred by the content of that book, we agreed to help him find a publisher. But, at the time, we never imagined how relevant and prophetic that book would be nor how quickly this apostasy would flourish in the mainstream churches. Today, it is even difficult to find a church that has not been compromised by some form of eastern-style mystical practice or emerging church philosophy. Now e-mails and letters pour into our office telling how readers who either just discovered us or were at one time skeptical of our warnings are now shocked to see that these things have entered their churches.

How did all this happen, and how did it happen so quickly? We think this can partly be explained by what we discovered ten years ago. After meeting with Ray, we felt compelled to help him find a publisher for his book, but after contacting a number of Christian publishing houses, we soon learned that they were only looking for books that could sell well—and that meant books considered non-controversial and by well-known authors. At that point, we decided to start our own publishing house. But just the lack of interest that we saw in the publishers was indicative of what was to happen in the church.

Whether we realize it or not, there is tremendous spiritual warfare taking place in our world today. And, if we just think of it for a moment in military terms, when a combat unit sets up camp, it is done as a strategic move. Outposts are set up with a means of communicating with the commanding officers. These are lookout points whose entire function is to keep an eye out for the enemy. In ancient times, a trumpet of some crude fashion was probably used to communicate a warning. But for some reason, the church of today has chosen largely to eliminate the outposts, and in so doing possesses a blind eye to danger. In many Christian circles, the word discernment has become a dirty word while others use it in a “positive” fashion by having “discernment conferences” where their chief function is to (a.) discredit ministries like ours and (b.) pat each other on the backs as the purveyors of true discernment and biblical scholarship. Meanwhile, the church is willingly letting in, if not bringing in, the enemy into the camp. Again, from a military point of view, this presents a very odd picture where if military outposts are set up at all, it is to invite the enemy to do their destruction from within. Given this type of situation, the soldier is in graver danger being with his unit. As ridiculous as this scenario may sound, this is what we are experiencing in the church today; in countless instances, we are hearing stories of young people going to Christian colleges only to have their spiritual lives shipwrecked. They may have been safer in secular colleges. At the same time, we know of countless numbers of Christians who have no church to go to because the ones that are available have abandoned the simplicity of the Gospel for something “more spiritual.” These believers are now witnessing the apostasy that we have warned about and are looking to ministries like ours for encouragement and help. In many cases, the only encouragement we have known to offer these people is to assure them that they are not alone in what they see.

Just recently, we introduced the music of Trevor Baker to the products we have available. As the title to his CD The Lonely Road suggests, committed Christians may have to endure much loneliness or isolation in the future for lack of genuine fellowship. If you have not heard his music already, we think that, like us, you will find his music uplifting and encouraging when you feel spiritually weary and at the same time challenging in your commitment and devotion to the Lord.

Please remember that while Jesus said we cannot know the day or the hour of His return, He also instructed us to observe the seasons. In saying this, Jesus was sharing a principle that is both profound and very simple:

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. (Matthew 24: 32-33)

In other words, Jesus was saying that various things must occur before He returns, and when they do occur, we can know that His coming is near. Today, the stage is being set for the fulfillment of these events described in Matthew 24, and in fact, things are moving at a highly accelerated rate. While the church has slept, tares have been sown into God’s wheat field (Matthew 13:25). The apostasy that we see in the church today is the result of Satan sowing these “tares” in the church.

As we have watched events unfold in the apostate church in recent years it has been very sobering to see how nearly identical its intents and actions are to that of the New Age movement in moving toward a one-world global order. As you are reading this, religious leaders are shaking hands with political figures in bringing about a more highly evolved society. Alice Bailey, who had much to do with the development of the New Age movement, with all its occult practices and mysticism, predicted that this movement rather than having to move around the church would move through it. In fact, she saw the church as helping to propel the world into this higher level of consciousness.1 Sadly, we are hearing almost daily of highly respected Christian leaders with large followings who are now embracing the writings of mystics and contemplative authors. Perhaps they do not realize that the contemplative prayer and mysticism they are now passing on to their followers is no different than the occult practices of Alice Bailey with a new twist. And as long as the name of “Jesus” is used, everything is O.K., they think.

Looking again at the fig tree, we can see that more fruit is developing and getting heavier. Also, as Rick Warren points out (and promotes), we will see a blending of religious, political, and economic forces as future events unfold. Unity will be a key to the future and will be an increasing theme as the world awaits the Antichrist. Considering that we are even now moving toward a one-world order, let us look at our fig tree whose fruit is already there and beginning to get ripe; the events we already see, only to increase, are:

The unifying of the world’s religious thought where eastern-style mystical practice to include yoga, contemplative prayer, and healing practices like Reiki are joining east with west.

The Purpose Driven P.E.A.C.E. Plan where political, economic, and religious forces are being brought together to form a unified effort.

Plans for a global currency, especially as the value of the U.S. Dollar continues to decline, paving the way to the use of the “mark.”

The accelerating significance of the United Nations leading toward a confederation of nations.

Increasing interest in the world finding a Christ figure who can solve the world’s economic and political problems and unite the world in peace.

Increasing moral decay throughout the world to include abortion, violence, pandemic divorce, the dissolution of the family unit, homosexuality, and pedophilia.

Increasing hatred toward born-again believers.

The growth of a spirit of Anti-Semitism throughout the world including in much of the organized Christian church today.

Increased natural disasters to include earthquakes, weather phenomena, and possible volcanic activity.

Intensifying of wars and rumors of war and man-made disasters.

Increased skepticism about the Lord’s return to include an abandonment of biblical prophecy.

The appearance of false christs culminating in the appearance of the Antichrist. As a result of mystical practices, to include contemplative prayer, people are already being conditioned to seeing themselves as having a “divine center” where the “Christ” or “I am” resides. Man has become divine.

An increasing curiosity and dependence on signs and wonders rather than the Word of God. Of special significance today are Mary apparitions and Eucharistic wonders, which point people to another Jesus of another gospel. Signs and wonders will be seen in the future as the final proof of truth holding sway over many people. This will make it possible for the Antichrist to lead the whole world in a grand delusion as he will be a master at performing signs and wonders.

Let us pause to look at our fig tree again; I see a couple more figs developing there. One of them is called “the bridgers” and the other is called “the silencers.” Unfortunately, both of these figs are growing on the same branch—and the branch has a name on it – it says, “the church.” This is odd because these two figs look putrefied, yet they are growing on a branch that looks very healthy.

If you have been following Lighthouse Trails over the past year, you may know what the first of these two figs is. One year ago, on November 16, 2010, Ingrid Schlueter of VCY America’s radio program Crosstalk did a radio interview with Deborah Dombrowski of Lighthouse Trails Publishing. The title of this broadcast was “Beware The Bridgers, Part 1: Orthodoxy Is More Than A Doctrinal Statement.”  After the broadcast, people contacted us to let us know this was one of the best radio broadcasts they had ever heard.  This program talked about the emergence of what one might call a welcoming committee within the church where things God considers foul and unclean are invited in. Oddly enough, it is not the dissenters in the church who are doing this, as would have been the case ten or fifteen years ago, but our pastors and Christian leaders—many of whom have had very large followings and been respected as being both conservative and of sound doctrine. But the problem is that these leaders have suddenly begun to quote the writings of New Age, occultic, or mystical authors to their followers, oftentimes with a word of recommendation if not persuasion to buy these writings and read them in their entirety. We won’t take time here to discuss God’s view on these things, but if you are curious, you might want to pause to look at Deuteronomy 18:9-14. The question is, why are pastors and respected Christian leaders promoting mystics and occultists? And we use the word “promoting” because this is more than the occasional slip of quoting someone for their clever or witty anecdote. These leaders are both bringing the nail and driving it in. However, in many cases these leaders are obscure as to whether they practice these things themselves; they seem content enough in bringing their followers to the bait, then leaving their followers to fend for themselves. Ingrid Schlueter coined the term “the bridgers” because these leaders in their obscurity seem quite innocent, yet due to their positions of respect and large followings, they are wittingly or unwittingly pulling large numbers of otherwise conservative followers into a trap that these followers would  not have ventured to on their own accord. In other words, these bridgers are introducing the more conservative flock to what the Bible calls an abomination.

Then there is the other fig called “the silencers” that we looked at a moment ago, and it is getting larger. It too looks putrefied though it is on a healthy looking branch labeled “the church.” This fig represents those in the church who regard themselves as having a special corner, and almost elitist attitude, on discernment. While they proclaim their humility, they also pride themselves as having the educational credentials and biblical know-how to steer the church on a straight course. They speak of the embarrassment other ministries are to the body of Christ who are not deemed worthy to hold the compass. A case in point was brought to our attention within the last month when two men stood before an audience and proceeded to praise each other as the purveyors of sound wisdom, discernment, and biblical scholarship. Then, in turn they engaged in a joint attack of verbally punching down those they deemed unworthy of discerning the things of God. This ganged venture began when one of them made reference to “housewives and home-school moms” who have no business in interfering in things they know nothing about. He referred to such women as “discernment divas” saying that their “greatest ability for [discernment] is not some rational understanding of doctrinal truths but an ability to use a really sharp tongue.”  Both men on the stage maintained that such things belong to men of wisdom, like themselves. By the way, the one who said this is said to be the “right-hand man” to one of the most popular and looked up to Christian figures today.

After the program, however, this same man, in realizing that he had put his foot in his mouth–figuratively speaking—proceeded to try to remedy the matter lest there be an influx of home-schooling moms and irate husbands knocking at the door. He attempted to remedy the matter by pointing out that he did not mean all home-schooling moms but two in particular—namely Ingrid Schlueter of Crosstalk and Lighthouse Trails Publishing’s Deborah Dombrowski.2 Hoping to put out the spot fires he started, he referred to these women as discernment divas, then proceeded to provide his own derogatory definition of the term. Frankly, we do feel sorry for the guy.

However, at the same time, we must not forget the seriousness or the ramifications of what can happen when someone who is endeavoring to help the Body of Christ is knocked down, verbally or otherwise. Again, we are in a spiritual battle—very real, with its own victories and consequences. Borrowing from our illustration again of a military maneuver, in this instance we can see that there are soldiers manning the outposts, but they are being shot down by their own men. In some cases, the task is done somewhat discreetly with silencers (excuse the pun) mounted on their weapons. In other cases, the outpost-soldiers are shot down more indiscreetly and then finished off with a bayonet. And even though this makes total nonsense in this physical illustration, this is what is happening in the church today. In the case of Ingrid Schlueter, she was kicked off her radio program nearly a year ago, but men are still kicking at her. Roger Oakland, a few years ago, was kicked off Calvary Chapel’s radio station KWVE. In both cases, it was because they were too “negative.” But as Roger points out, were the apostles negative, were the prophets negative, was Jesus negative? And what happened to them?

The fact is that the darkness hates the light, and when you bring light where there is darkness it means exposure. We live in a corrupt world where not even the organized church is willing to have the light shine in their dark corners.

But we at Lighthouse Trails were founded on the principle that there is a growing body of believers who have heard God’s heart cry to repentance. It is our belief that repentance is meant to be a part of the Christian life, and as we become aware of our imperfections, we endure rather than resist God’s refining process in our lives. When John wrote his letters to the seven churches, he did it with this in mind, but history tells us that his letters were not heeded by all seven churches.

Here at Lighthouse Trails, we have endeavored to blow the trumpet over the years, sounding the call to repentance and to a return to the sound doctrine of the Bible. But many have become annoyed with the repeated blasts of the trumpet. All we can say to this is that the time is short, and we remember the words of Jesus when he said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). We will continue to sound the trumpet for as long as we can while doors of opportunity are still open.

Some will say that it is better for Christians to be silent and just let God take care of things. But it is through silence that the church in America has lost so much ground. Rather than helping the process, silence accelerates the work of the enemy. It was through silence that a man called Hitler was able to come to power and murder millions of innocent people.

Keep praying and do what you can to help sound the trumpet. The enemy forces are advancing; in fact, they are within our ranks.

I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. (Jeremiah 6:17)

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:12)

Notes:
1. See A Time of Departing for more information on Alice Bailey’s “revitalization” of the churches.
2. Though Deborah Dombrowski’s name was not mentioned, it was inferred by saying Lighthouse Trails Publishing (Deborah is the only female writer at LTPC).

In case you haven't noticed the Vatican is on the move. As the faithful would expect, the Book of Revelation is beginning to make sense in these last days before the Lord's return. It is not the mysterious locked prophecy it once was; It is becoming very clear in respect to the Antichrist and false prophet, and their identity; thanks to researchers like Roger Oakland, Chris Pinto, and the folks at Herescope. Before long Revelation will be an open book to those whose will is to do the Lord's will; it is a promise; even now, we are getting it.

As we see Rome and the nations making great strides in the fulfillment of prophecy, so likewise we can expect our God to make even greater strides in strengthening His elect for the forth coming calamities. There is no question that God will call out His elect and purify them by the infilling of His Spirit in a mighty way, and ready them for his return.

It is an exciting time as our eyes scan the eastern sky, in anticipation of His coming. The words of Scripture coming more and more alive and the trimming of the lamps breathing with a new reality and earnestness of meaning. Separation, purging the old leaven, holiness, faith and truth are words filled with a new dynamic, driving the sheep into new pastures of rest and reassurance.

Below is an article of great interest to those interested in discerning the signs of the times. It would appear that the Vatican is coming out of the closet as to their role in the forming of a one world government and religion. Could it be that they are oblivious to the words of prophecy; are they so blind that they cannot see their own reflection in that great book of Revelation, or is it that they don't care and only concerned with power and prestige. 

Well, for us who see, the following article has been written.

Keep looking up, for your redemption draws near,

Steve Blackwell

Herescope

October 25th, 2011 | Author: Lighthouse Trails Editors

By David Dombrowski
Editor at Lighthouse Trails

Over the years, I have encountered many Christians who wonder, “What’s wrong with being Catholic? After all, they believe in the Cross; they believe Jesus is the Son of God. It can’t be all that bad.” If you are a Christian who has wondered about these things, this special testimonial report is for you.

I was born and raised as a Roman Catholic, so I am writing of things I know about and lived with for over thirty years. From my earliest childhood, I had a hunger and a thirst for God. I largely attribute this to my mother who instilled in me the love and reverence for God that she had. Born and raised in Poland, she grew up Catholic, but when she was about thirteen years old, while kneeling in a chapel alone, she invited Jesus Christ into her heart to be Lord of her life. Just prior to this, she had lost both her parents to mushroom poisoning. Jesus filled a void in her life that carried her through many difficult years. Years later, she shared with me that this must have been her born-again experience, though in the Catholic church she had not heard of such terminology; altar calls and making decisions to receive Christ were totally alien to her experience.

The fact is that there has never been a place in the Catholic church for evangelistic crusades and personal decisions because every child raised Catholic is brought up with the belief that he is automatically “Christian” because he was baptized as an infant. In years past, manyAnabaptists were burned at the stake because they recognized the fallacy and false assurance associated with infant baptism.

I guess I could accurately say that my mother had a personal relationship with the Lord, not because of Catholicism but in spite of it. As in her case, few Catholics even realize or understand what Catholicism really teaches and how the actual doctrines and teachings are polar opposites to biblical Christianity. Yes, the Catholic Church does teach morals, as do most religions, but when it comes to salvation, the actual teachings hinder and prevent the lost from finding The Way.

As a little boy, I had a very firm belief in God, and I knew that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died on the Cross for my sins. I grew up as a religious boy, but my consciousness of sin and my sense of guilt never escaped me. As I grew to adolescence and then adulthood, the realization of my own sinfulness haunted me all the more. I can still remember one snowy night in winter in Portland, Oregon when I was nineteen; although it was nearly midnight, I decided to go for a walk. The moonlit snow enabled me to see my way clearly, and looking up at the stars that night somehow made me feel in touch with God. I still remember saying out loud to God at that moment, “God, I believe if I were to die tonight, I would go to Hell; and if that is going to change, you’re going to have to do something.” This was one of those rare moments where I was completely honest with God and addressed Him in a manner other than the rote, memorized prayer I was taught in the Catholic church.

I suppose if one thing can be said for Catholicism, it can help foster a sense of guilt in a practicing Catholic. My church life consisted of confessing my sins to a priest on a weekly basis, then receiving “absolution” only to come back the following week riddled with sin and guilt again. I think few Catholics and even fewer Protestants actually know or understand the Catholic way of “salvation”; yet it is still printed in the Baltimore Catechism that we are saved by our participation in the sacraments. Central to Catholicism, in fact its very focal point, is the sacrament of the Eucharist where it is believed that bread and wine are literally transformed into the body and blood of Jesus. The implications of this belief, although unbiblical, may seem innocent enough until one realizes that this practice is without question the very heart and core of the Catholic “gospel.” In other words, your participation of this sacrament is what saves you. The point is that your salvation depends on something you do. It gives you a temporary and false sense of assurance until you sin again. In fact, according to Catholic teaching, one can never be assured of one’s own salvation. To have such assurance is to be guilty of the sin of pride. And looking back on it now, such a conclusion makes perfect sense because if our salvation were based on our performance (i.e., participation in the sacraments), we would have something to boast about. So logically from that point of view, if we don’t acknowledge or recognize our salvation, at least in theory we can be humble about it. But Paul saw the error in all this fallacious thinking when he penned the words:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

For the Catholic, the concept of salvation by grace through faith alone is nearly impossible to receive because rooted in the heart of man (and virtually all religions) is the idea that we must earn our way to heaven. Now that Catholics are beginning to read their Bibles, they will sometimes quote other Bible passages, especially from James, to prove that we are, after all, still saved by works. Little do they realize that James was trying to explain what biblical faith really is. It is not an intellectual ascent but a full trust and commitment to our Savior that expresses itself in the way we live. If James were trying to say that our good works justify us, he would not have used the story of Abraham, Isaac, and the altar to make his point. Surely, Abraham was a man of unusual faith, but he did not pretend that he could find salvation through his own goodness, nor was his attempt to sacrifice Isaac on the altar an expression of goodness but rather of his faith in God alone.

In my case, growing up as a Catholic, I had virtually no knowledge of the Scriptures because we were never encouraged to read the Bible on our own lest we should come up with our own interpretations. And here is the crux of the matter: Christians often make the mistake of thinking that because Catholics believe in Jesus and the Cross, everything is O.K. But the reality is that as a Catholic, I knew that Jesus had atoned for my sins on the Cross but that redemption was not freely available to me. In some way, I had to earn my right to the Cross. This belief of mine was rooted to the very core of my being from participating in thousands of Masses where Jesus is re-crucified for my sins again and again. This deep heart-felt belief of mine that fostered my ongoing guilt was unfortunately not misconstrued but one hundred percent Catholic and totally in line with Catholic teaching. Salvation was, therefore, something attainable but always uncertain and out of reach. It is no wonder that the highly acclaimed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who spent her life ministering sacrificially to the poor and sick in India, spent her final hours in serious doubts of her own salvation.

And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God . . . For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Hebrews 10:11,12,14

I was now twenty years old and had completed my second year of college. I had feared the draft because I heard they were now drafting college students into the military, but now that I was twenty, I felt secure that I need not fear the lottery any longer. But then, I received my draft notice. I saw this as God’s judgment on me, but little did I know at the time that God was answering what I had said to Him on that starry night a few months earlier.

My time in the Army brought a drastic change to my life. It was the first time I was away from home. It also was my first experience in getting to know other people on a deeper level as I lived and worked with them. For the first time in my life, I met Christians who shared with me the Gospel. One of them even gave me a New Testament, which I did read as I had made the decision that I would use my time in the military to seek for and hopefully find God.

In contrast, having been sent to Germany, I witnessed the selfish and destructive lifestyle of most of the soldiers. In my unit, the majority of them got high on drugs at every opportunity. And drunkenness and prostitution was widespread too. But, I was known as the straight guy. In fact, I was so disgusted by what I saw happening around me that I determined not to have one taste of alcohol while I was there. Some of the soldiers mocked me, though I tried to be amiable and live at peace with them. I still remember one soldier blowing marijuana smoke in my face because I would not get high with them.

But all the while, I knew that my heart was unclean, and I saw in these soldiers a reflection of the dirt in my own life and knew that I was headed toward moral destruction. This made me all the more anxious to find the victory and peace I was witnessing in the lives of the Christians. It was at this very low point of my life that I realized again, like on that night beneath the stars, that without God’s intervention, my life would go to ruins. Up until now, I thought I had the power to change myself, but I now realized I was continuing on a spiritual decline. I picked up a Gospel tract that one of my sergeants had given me and found that salvation is within easy reach of anyone who will acknowledge his own sinfulness and inability to save himself. The hard part was getting to the place of recognizing my need of a Savior. And the Catholic gospel of justification by grace through works had hindered me from finding Christ for years.

I should caution you that if you were to approach the average practicing Catholic with this article, they would either tell you that I was mistaught Catholic doctrine as a youth or things have changed since Vatican II. However, the truth is literally staring us in the face when we realize that the Catholic priest performs an unbiblical ritual in the Eucharist, and Catholic doctrine still says that our participation in this is what saves us. In fact, if you were to take the Eucharist out of the Catholic Mass, you would no longer have the Mass. And if you took the Mass out of Catholicism, you would no longer have the Catholic church, and no priest can deny this.

Some may say, well perhaps the Catholic church is right about the doctrine of Transubstantiation. Maybe the communion wafer and the wine literally do become the body and blood of Jesus—under false appearances of course. But if this were true, then Jesus would necessarily have been lying to his disciples when He told them He had been using a figure of speech, using the earthly term “flesh” to express spiritual truth:

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63 (Italics mine)

But let’s just suppose for a moment that Jesus had answered his disciples in another way when they began to murmur, “this is a hard saying; who can hear it?” Let’s just suppose Jesus answered their confusion by saying, “Oh yes, I really meant it literally. Eating my flesh is profitable and will give you spiritual life.” Given this scenario, would the Catholic church be right in the celebration of the Mass, where Christ is re-crucified daily on an altar? The answer is no because we would still be speaking of another gospel than the one each of the apostles preached. And this is the one key point I want to get across in this article: Our justification is by grace through faith alone, not by our participation in a ritual. Being born of the Spirit is what gives us life – eternal life. By the way, Nicodemus was also troubled when Jesus said to him, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). He could not understand how anyone could come out of his mother’s womb twice. Jesus was always speaking of spiritual things, using earthly terms and parables to express His meaning, but man, being carnal, always misunderstood His meaning, and so it is today.

My time in the service ended shortly after I read that tract and received the Lord in full trust to be my Savior. In fact, I found the Lord about two months before I left the service. God had wrought a miracle in my life in just two years, and I came out of the Army a new man—thanks to God, of course. God also opened my understanding of the Scriptures, but I did not know where to find fellowship. Then, I found out about Catholic charismatic meetings in my area. It seems that a goodly number of Catholics had found the Lord at the tail end of the Jesus movement and these meetings provided a place for fellowship. I still remember a discussion we had as to whether or not we should leave the Catholic church. The consensus was we should stay so as to be a light to those who are still lost. For this reason, I remained in the Catholic church for a number of years. Finally, as my life was more and more transformed by the Word of God, I realized that staying was not accomplishing my hope of being a light to Catholics, and the best witness I could provide was to leave. While I do not judge those who stayed for the benefit of the lost, I want to point out a serious fallacy in this thinking because the Catholic church is non-reformable. As I alluded to before, the sacrament of the Eucharist is another gospel, but to do away with it would be to do away with the whole structure of the Mass, and the Catholic church would then cease to exist. I feel very sorry for those believing Catholics who decided to stay; it must be very difficult for them and awkward for them not to feel like hypocrites.

At the tail end of my stay in the Catholic church, I joined an evangelical Christian community. From the day I found the Lord, I was always intrigued by Acts chapter 4, where the first Christians “were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things in common” (Acts 4:32). The whole idea of community seemed like a piece of heaven on earth. I joined the community with the determination to make it work, even if the task was difficult. And difficult it turned out to be. Oddly, when I became a Christian, I was soon identified by other believers as having a gift of discernment, but now in this community it seemed that the opposite became the rule for the day: if something bothered me, the leaders said it was because I was fighting against God. I remember testing out this attitude one day when our community took a few days vacation trip. Somehow, our vehicles got separated and sitting across from the driver I said in jest, “I think maybe we should turn left.” His immediate reply was, “Okay then, I’m going to turn right.” Although done in humor, this incident was a true reflection of the attitude the members of the community had toward me.

Then, the day came when some of the leaders announced that they were considering becoming Catholic – this was a decision they were making not just for themselves but for all of us. When I joined the community, it was non-denominational though its roots were in a Baptist church. It had begun as a recovery ministry for young people who had forsaken drugs and alcohol or just needed a place to live. The fact that these leaders were now entertaining thoughts about Catholicism came as a great disturbance to me, but not as a total surprise. I had witnessed over the years how some of the members seemed somewhat intrigued with the Catholic church and with Catholic mystics like Henri Nouwen and Thomas Merton. I remember one Christmas Eve when three of the women decided they were going to attend midnight Mass. I overheard them the next day talking about how enjoyable an experience it had been.

But the meeting where the leaders announced their move toward Catholicism was anything but enjoyable for me. It was like watching a mutiny in one of those old pirate movies but without the violence. The senior elder of the community strongly opposed our becoming Catholic by saying that it did not represent who we were. But there were too many others who had already decided they wanted to move in this direction. The senior elder was immediately removed from the community as a “discipline,” but as time proved itself, he never came back. The community very quickly spiraled into the web of Catholicism.

I remember the night a Catholic priest was invited to speak to the community about Catholicism. This priest was recognized as a leader in the renewal movement of the Pacific Northwest. On that night, he proclaimed a great number of things. Here are some of the key points he shared with us:

What is Ecumenism? The Protestants do not know what ecumenism actually means to the Catholic church. They think it means that the Protestants and Catholics can have fellowship together as co-equals. What it actually means is that the Protestants will eventually be reabsorbed into the Catholic church.

Protestant pastors have no power when they do a communion service. They only go through the motions but nothing really happens. Only the Catholic priest has the power and authority to perform a communion service.

Protestants are the lost brethren because they have rebelled against (forsaken) the one true church.

A good Muslim, a good Hindu, and a good Buddhist are saved. They have more hope of getting into heaven than the Protestants.

The Protestants have a false notion of evangelism. As I have just told you, people of other religions are already saved. But the Protestants need to return to the Catholic church.

Hearing these things that night helped me realize that the Catholic church, as an institution, is much worse than I had allowed myself to believe. Although hearing these things was not actually new to me, it did surprise me that a leader in a renewal movement, where Catholics and Protestants mingled together, had such a low regard for the Protestants and a whole different agenda.

And perhaps what was even more surprising was that these sincere Christians, whom I had loved, lived with, and worked with side by side for over six years did not challenge this priest with his heretical beliefs that night.

The community was moving full steam ahead toward becoming Catholic, but there were some practical issues that had to be dealt with. For example, the leaders of the community had made a covenant to stay together for life, but the senior elder was no longer with them. They brought this problem to this Catholic priest who had a ready answer. He told them that he had the God-given power to dissolve the covenant. He explained that becoming Catholic superseded anything else. Then there was the matter of what to do with me. They thought if they sent me to talk to this priest one-on-one, he could persuade me to return to the “mother church.” But when it became apparent that I was not turning back, I was told that I must leave.

Other things happened in that community. Things got really hot at times; there were fights between members. Eventually two marriages broke up where the husband left the community, but the wife and children stayed behind to become Catholic. One of these husbands later confessed to me that when I was removed from the community he thought God was removing me because I was not a part of God’s special remnant. But after he was kicked out, he realized that what was once a loving Christian community had become a cult.

Not long after I was removed, the community became fully Catholic. They remain so today.

As I am writing these things, I am amazed to think how quickly the years have gone by. These events that seem like yesterday began over twenty-five years ago. And through all these years, I have never publically shared the story about the community. But there is a reason why I felt compelled to share it now. When the community was deciding to become Catholic, they were very excited because they felt that they were pioneers in going back to the mother church. They felt confident that many others would eventually follow their example. Today, I see that this is beginning to happen in large numbers. The community shared with some of their friends that they had grown spiritually as far as the Protestant church could take them, and if they were going to grow anymore, they would have to become Catholic. It is the same thing that is happening today. Many Protestant leaders are now standing up and proclaiming that we need to glean from the teachings and practices of the Catholic church. Particularly appealing to them is contemplative prayer or mysticism and the spiritual disciplines. There is no doubt in my mind that contemplative spirituality is a bridge, bringing Protestants “back” to the Catholic church. The emerging church movement is equally a bridge toward Catholicism, and the Purpose Driven movement has had a role in this as well.

If after having read this article, you would like to know more about what is happening, let me recommend these materials from Roger Oakland, one of our authors, if you haven’t read or watched these already:

Source: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=7543

The book, Another Jesus, goes into greater depth to explain how the Christ of the Eucharist is truly “another Jesus” of another gospel.

Faith Undone is Roger’s masterpiece in exposing the apostasy that is even now sweeping our nation. This book is more relevant today than the day it was written, as the things described in this book are unfolding at an accelerated rate. This book gives special attention to the subject of the emerging church.

The Emerging Church DVD series of Roger’s is also an excellent source of material that encapsulates Catholicism, the emerging church, and the false gospel that is being promoted in much of the church today.

“The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

Part One

Part Three

Part Two

Now, let’s see, where were we when last we were together? That little sleep has made me stuporous and hazy headed. Oh yes, now it is coming back to me. We were speaking of our dear beloved Stultitia of whom we have all bowed the knee. In a rare exhibition of her generosity she has paraded all of mankind onto the stage of our delusionary life and given us a peep behind the curtain. Here we also met her propmasters and helpers Anoia, (lack of understanding or ignorance), and Lethe, (obscurity, or forgetfulness), with whose help she prepares the costumes and prints the script. It is not at all unusual to find one of her actors totally involved in his or her part, believing that they are the epitome of fashion, the defenders of the faith, masters of their own destiny, the most brilliant, the most beautiful, able to perceive dark mysteries, leap tall buildings with a single bound, or prevent the train wreck that portrays man’s life, teetering on the brink of that great death, the oblivion of outer darkness. The plethora of foolish imaginations and the creative genius of their dementia have provided the gods with infinite hours of entertainment.

We also discovered just how necessary foolishness is to the successful exploitation of our miniscule part in the grand play. Why, without Folly, her children pout and become bored, peradventure some benevolent soul should cross their path with news of life outside the cave and the hope of something more serious strike a root. Yes, yes, foolishness is what makes life worth living, proven by all of her children. From A to Z it is Folly who opens the doorway to bliss. Now, just think about it, remove all the foolishness from this dismal existence and what do you have left? Complete boredom! Veracity occupies only a fly speck in the overall production that only a minutia of mankind are ever likely to recognize it; but Folly, on the other hand, is fruitful and can be found and favored anywhere anytime, and requires but one resolve, i.e. ignore the fable in some ancient moth eaten manuscript, and get on with the show.

Folly has been generous in her perusal and desires to go beyond the general to the exalted. The common person will most readily admit of their foolish life, replete with redundant misdeeds, and ever anxious to test some new life strategy, like Lotto or investments in depreciating commodities. But, let’s go on to those who are the “wise” in this world, and who profess to shun foolishness. It is these worldly wisenheimers who have raised foolishness to an art form, and who have perfected stupidity while thumbing their nose at the common duncical lot of humanity.

Bear with me awhile as we venture into the realm of well-mollified madness. Madness tranquillized and normalized, Insaneness promoted to the status quo. Think not that Stultitia has been relegated to the State Department only; it simply is not true my fellow fool; if Folly is prolific anywhere she is prolific in the pulpit. Now we will pass from the general to the more specific.

Delusions of Grandeur, the Breakfast of Champions

Folly declares that she is so much more tempered and not like those other gods and goddesses who send curses and lightening, draughts and plagues, and all kinds of suffering when improperly recognized. She demands no temple or sacrifices. “Why should I require a goat or a wafer when men everywhere pay me homage in their minds and manners continually.” She would be the first to remind us that even the Christians follow this rule. How many of them do such foolish things like burning candles, even during the day when they are not needed, or becoming a wholly different person with a completely different persona on a certain day of the week, sometimes twice a day, and practice rituals, doing this, that, and the other, then revert back to their common everyday self for the conduction of business and life outside their religious building. And especially, those Catholics with all their sacraments, pretending to be holy by doing certain things certain ways and invoking the names of Apostles and mere men, weeping at scratches on walls, worshiping the virgin Mary instead of Jesus through so many Hail Mary recitations and bead counting, and believing they are accepted of God by these, and never actually imitating the Apostle’s holy lives with selflessness and humility. “Good lord, why would I want a temple, the whole world is my temple, dedicated to me, Folly?”

And, those Protestants, they are no better. Thinking they made great strides with Luther and Calvin. Their followers through time set up whole institutions of religious practices, dampening the light and darkening the path with the leaven of foolishness. Even the Peasant’s War, although the product of the madness of a malicious sort reflected the same folly as Popery, promoting vanity, pride, and the conceit of selfish-fulfillment, and rang the death knell for many local Catholics. Calvin also, with his great influence, was unable to forgo the sentence of death, for the poor fool Servetus, by his own followers. What was it that the Protestant church protested anyway if it wasn’t the complete foolishness of corrupt popery with its thousands and thousands of butchered humans because of their differences in beliefs on thousands of possible points? Madness never ceases. Christ’s command for them to go back and do their first work over again was translated by the Reformers as only going part way back to maybe the third or fourth works, which allowed faith and foolishness to remain a mixture.

Having taken a peek into the vortex of madness, which is madness of the grossest sort, Folly now fast forwards us into our present foolishness. Today the word “Protestant” is rarely used, and this is due to Folly’s apt assistant Lethe a.k.a. forgetfulness, which she administers with sophistication; a quality of which the whole world belies. Pray tell, what is there to “protest” today, aren’t we all becoming one. What better unity and ecumenism than the universal adoration of Folly? I, Folly, am the fulfillment of all the hopes of Hippies, the existential hinge on which the whole world turns; the universal, ecumenical, experiential focus point that every generation has sought; I, Folly, am above all gods, beloved of my children. To wake-up into my sleep is eternal, blessed, bliss.

The Reverential Face of Folly

Folly is often found in the pulpit imitating the “divines” who are confident that they have risen to Lordship, Father-hood, Reverend, or Most Reverend, or some other self-ingratiating title, and let’s not forget our esteemed Doctors.

Certainly, though no one is less willing than our religious leaders to recognize my good will toward them, but they are still obliged to me for no little benefit of importance. Who, but I, have blessed them with so much selflove that they are wholly persuaded that they are dwellers of the third heaven, looking from their lofty perch, declaring mere recipients of revelation as only kitchen table theologians, and not fitted for understanding the deep things of a Schoolman? And, those of popish persuasion declare proudly of their ability to see meanings of words not apparent to the vulgar cut of mankind; projecting penance for repentance, indulgence for grace and free gift, or judging Jesus’ own words “it is finished” to mean that it is not finished. Do you see the absolute foolishness of this? and it goes on and on, and they are lucky enough to find whole troops of gnats and flies to believe them, never questioning this popish poopery. What total moronity and my own foolishness exceed even me, in their own declaration and separating out of venial and mortal sins. Why, this madness alone accounts for the complete blessedness of millions to enjoy booze, bingo, and casino night for the price of a few good deeds. Little do they know, because they are held by an inebriated elation, that venial sins are a mere fantasy and are not to be found anywhere in all of creation. What they don’t know is that all sins are really Mortal, and there is nothing they can do to get rid of them, so “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Yes, yes, oh for the joy in it all that even Jesus has been reduced to a wafer and taken captive in a bird cage. Please, let’s not stop this joy fest just now; please indulge me this further foolishness. Truth has been so far forgotten that men dressed in black open their mouth and gnats and flies fall prostrate licking their feet insisting that they have fulfilled the rule and deserve “forgiveness” from the authorized divine, according to the mandate of men. The Protestant crowd is no different; they just haven’t had as much practice.

Oh what vanity my dear prelates in Rome have, fools of the highest order, creating a schooled system of salvation by works. It offers salvation on the installment plan, and then ensures that the pathetic evildoer is perpetually behind in his payoffs, so that when he croaks there is a prodigious unpaid balance, and he must continue payments by sufferings in purgatory, or until the debt is paid by the prayer, contributions, and sufferings of his living relatives and friends. Oh, what thumbs must have become sore, sucking this from their deepest innards. The whole system and plan calls for blindness, merit, and moolah, from the cradle to the grave and even beyond. Surely the sapience that drew such a plan of salvation is from Stultitia. These foxes have so many holes they can run to that their joy is never ceasing, and their blindness never healing. If boredom sets in then a mere question is set in their mind, like “is it possible for the Father to hate the Son?” Or “could it have been possible for Christ to have been born a woman, or a devil, or a donkey, or a cucumber, or a rock? Then how the cucumber would have preached, performed miracles, and been nailed to the cross? Or, will it be permissible to eat and drink after the resurrection, seeing how much we love to eat and drink? And, the Apostles, they all knew Jesus’ mother, but which one of them could show how she was preserved from original sin as well as any of the learned Catholic theologians of renown, or how she could remain a virgin after having other offspring? The Apostles cannot hold a candle to these puffed-up beetles with all their volumes of publications and prescriptions, their holy robes and clerical collars, setting them off as excellent vessels of the Lord. And, “it is hardly clear how it was revealed to them that a charcoal sketch on a wall should be worshiped with the same worship as Christ Himself, provided that the picture has two fingers extended, long hair, and three rays in a halo stuck on the back of the skull.” Only the immense education, (the Apostles being ignorant, naïve, and uninitiated) of elite men with keen brilliance and intellect have achieved such insight. Little, will they admit, that it is Folly who has awarded these dustballs with crowns and gowns.

Pleassseee, give me my credit in this madness, the whole crowd draws it pleasure from me. The deliciousness of Stultitia’s spiritual concoction, a little holiness, a little profanity; nectar and naughtiness, mixed by pope and pastor, with an open invitation to belly up to the bar, and experience the emergence of euphoria with its new relaxed dress code. Catholics and Evangelicals coming together, pondering the last great social question; the question of human solidarity. It was my idea; give me a little credit; the conjoining of all in one. The whole idea is so exciting I get a little goosey. The world’s most immoral governing body (the Vatican) leading the way in social justice. Only Folly could have empowered the most notorious trull, wenching with kings and princes, to coach the world concerning chastity; and cover it in the vesture of charming words, “Caritas in Veritate,” charity in truth.

Imagine with me for a moment the potential of being driven by this purpose. Whole worlds of possibilities are opened up. Baptist taking vows of silence and monasteries created for no other purpose than to paralyze the tongue. Methodist stuck to the top of a pole like a sponge, not eating or sleeping, the epitome of sacrificial righteousness; protestant pillar saints; what a concept. They could even have some fun with the flogs; rent them out right next to the coffee bar and have Wednesday night workouts while contemplating how much I love them. I am beginning to sound like a mother, am I not? I am so pleased with them all; all except for those others; they refuse to play along. They are not mine, neighbor children, but I have succeeded in getting some to come over and play; funsuckers, that’s what we have nicknamed them. We can’t have them spoiling the party, can we? Our motto is “Come along, to get along,” catchy wouldn’t you say?

I could say so much more if I weren’t dancing, jostling, juggling, and joking. Why should life be so “straight” after all, it’s unnatural; and black is never black, or white, white; statutes were made for statues, stone men, and laws were built to be busted, they’re all cracked from the get-go anyway; foolishness is never cast in concrete.

Well, children, it is past my bed time. Tomorrow we will embark on an adventure to the abyss of the absolute; a field trip to the house of absurd relics: truth, holiness, perfection, and eternity, to name a few; they’re all party favorites, so come dressed-up if you like. It should be a fun time, so let’s all get a little rest; you’ll need it.

Coming soon to a Blog near you………….

The Christian Fools Paradox, Black Is Black? and White Is Actually White?

An offering of bliss, or an intolerant assault on insanity?

"WHERE IS THE WISE ONE? WHERE IS THE SCRIBE? WHERE IS THE DEBATER OF THIS AGE? HAS NOT GOD MADE THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD FOOLISH? … FOR THE FOOLISHNESS OF GOD IS WISER THAN HUMAN WISDOM."

Part Two

Part Three

The Bible has gone to great lengths to show that all of mankind, I say again, all of mankind, are deluded. Solomon has said conclusively, “Vanity of vanity, all is vanity,” and also that “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child.” Men upon the face of the earth are all men chasing shadows, all the days of their lives, and men, at the very height of their glory, are all mad. The domicile of delirium, i.e. worldly happiness, is the home of Folly, and is better known as common “foolishness,” and we could say stupidity, silliness, asininity, absurdity, imbecility, or mild mannered craziness, but let’s not get particular. This Folly, who loosely closes her fist and allows her many jewels to be heisted, with only a pretense of resistance; and sheepishly hides her face from our insanity, while attaining a howling good time, is the same goddess of this world who freely dispenses those things which, we suppose, make us happy. In our madness the pretense becomes the reality, and to unveil the charade is to spoil the whole production. To remove the actor’s make-up is to ruin the play; and to expose the play as a travesty, could well earn you a lashing, if not literal at least of the tongue. This foolishness is what those of the world call logic, wisdom, and intelligence, and that is the great delusion of mankind, and the great entertainment of Folly.

This idea of exposing the folly shut up in the bodies of men is not new with me, so I’ll take a minute to give some credit where credit is due, to Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, who wrote the renowned work, The Praise of Folly, in the year 1511. I have loosely followed his lead without quoting him directly, while trying to retain his method of delivering a needed message through irony.

It seems that Erasmus was on his way back from Italy to England where he was visiting Vanity Fair, i.e. the Italian Renaissance (def., re-birth) himself being a Dutch Renaissance humanist Catholic Priest, having seen firsthand the bud of humanism opened in full bloom, the fruit of which are the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, along with grand new ideas of literature, science, art, religion, and politics. Simultaneously with the Renaissance there was occurring the Reformation. Erasmus lived during the Reformation period, but while he was very critical of the Catholic Church, as is evidenced in The Praise of Folly, he could not bring himself to join the cause of the Reformers. In relation to clerical abuses in the Catholic Church, Erasmus remained committed to reforming the Church from within; bad idea, which has never worked.

The Reformation, now having seen five hundred years of progress, has fallen into a similar situation as the Catholic Church,  a severe degradation of both the clergy and the laity. Here again, trying to reform from within is probably not going to work, but only a strict obedience to Scripture to, “Come out from amongst them and be ye separate,” will work. As in the Catholic Church most will remain within, because that is the easiest path. And also, as during the Reformation, there is a heavy cost of swimming against the tide of the prevailing religious sentiments.

During Erasmus’ prolonged trip of about two months, and incited by his disgust of both secular and ecclesiastical corruption, he allowed himself a little levity and penned his famous book The Praise of Folly, Morias Enkomion (Μωρίας Εγκώμιον). Sometimes the book is called “In Praise of More,” since the book was dedicated to Sir Thomas More, whose title is a play on the name of More, Morias meaning folly.

Folly praises self-deception and madness and moves to a satirical examination of pious but superstitious abuses of Catholic doctrine and corrupt practices in parts of the Roman Catholic Church—to which Erasmus was ever faithful—and the folly of pedants (including Erasmus himself). Erasmus had recently returned disappointed from Rome, where he had turned down offers of advancement in the curia, and Folly increasingly takes on Erasmus' own chastising voice. The essay ends with a straightforward statement of Christian ideals. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

More, who consequently, is recognized by the Catholic Church as an English Saint and martyr was beheaded by Henry the VIII for his part in opposing the Reformation and Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

One last note of consequence is the fact that Erasmus fully expected to be attacked for his satirical uncovering of the foolishness within the Catholic Church, and mankind in general. It has always been the gift of the Court Jester to present truth immersed in the roar of laughter. A character trait of the true worldling is the ability to laugh at himself while not allowing any of the reality of truth to impinge upon his understanding or bring light into his darkness. When truth registers with an individual it inevitably brings a change of life, or it can bring an uproar and condemnation.

I’m not here to make anyone angry, but to exhibit some of the things which we wise and intelligent humans mistake for genuine wisdom, and pride ourselves in accomplishing. So, grab a cup of coffee and let’s take a look at a few of the jewels that Folly toys herself with.

Folly is not partial, because every flesh covered human is her offspring, and all of humankind has inherited, and is afflicted with, her madness. For men to try and define her foolishness, in all of its complexity, is like a fish trying to comprehend wetness; it can be done, but Folly’s way is to just simply abandon yourself and enjoy it, and to see it in it ridiculous outfit knowing that we all walk around in our own custom tailored clown suits.

A Note From Folly

You may ask, “Is there a value in foolishness?” Of course there is value! Isn’t it your laughable illusions that enable you to live a happy life? Even your own marketers know that if you perceive something as valuable, then who is to say it isn’t? and everyone values a good time. It is only those intellectual types and Puritans who would destroy the illusion, and bring discontentment, with a display of matters-of-fact; it is the wise man that disturbs the peace; but the wise man in doing so becomes a wise fool. The wise man, Solomon, warns us not to “…answer a fool according to his folly, or we will be like him.” A modern translation might say, “Don’t argue with a fool; those who pass by can’t tell the difference.” He who is madder laughs at him who is less; the wise man is only a well-to-do beggar, or an ingenious jughead; and the best you can hope for is borderline sanity. Ignorance is bliss.

Stultitia-

The Jewel Pouch

With that introduction let’s go swimming in the lake of madness. Let it be known that we are not talking about truth, I mean true truth; but rather the truth inherent in madness, the truth of this world, the truth of apparent reality. We will not separate the madness of religion from all the other forms of madness, because in the final analysis they are all the same, but we will distinguish between two variants of madness, as expounded by Plato, one being evil, and the other being divine or good. Plato, not knowing anything divine except the plethora of divinity ignorantly worshiped by the masses, speaks of this good type of madness as from these gods; but it is Folly’s madness none the less, and not really divine, but merely a matter of degree, and exhibited in a more peaceful manner. So, what we really have is evil madness and good madness, both of which show up in religion and the world. Our goal is primarily to expose the madness or foolishness that we call happiness; the other madness, of mayhem and murder, should be apparent without comment.

Our dear Stultitia will:

1. Endeavor to show, and provide, the necessary illusions to render life in this world tolerable and pleasant.
2. Show how she makes the professional churchmen and statesmen blind enough to be happy while conducting their various irresponsibilities.
3. Enable the Christian fool to see how incompatible the happiness of this world is with Christian joy; and to inadvertently provide a way of escape.

Irony of Irony; A Fools Life is the Best Life, and You Can Have “Your Best Life Now”

Stultitia, also known as Folly, has a very bad reputation, even amongst them who should know better, her loftiest students, the wise. They would even call her stupid, but not to her face. When she walks into a room everyone, including the snobs, become perky and giddy, because it is she who pours into the hearts of men the delight they crave. It is Folly that transforms them when they come forth out of their winters of melancholy boredom into the spring time of ecstatic ignorant elation. What their stuffy preachers couldn’t achieve in two hours of chatter, Folly accomplishes by just entering the room.

There is a reason that she wears the cap and bells of the certified fool. Take a moment and listen carefully, but not like you listen at Church, half asleep, but the way you listen to the saleslady or man who’s wrapping you around their little finger, or the low brow comedian telling off color jokes. What you will hear from her, is not nonsense, but a rational argument exhibiting untold treasures. She’s not at all ashamed of self-love either, or to pat herself on the back, after all, who knows her better than herself.

Folly keeps the best of company. Who is the company that Folly keeps? Isn’t it obvious? It is those who feed on flattery and all who practice the fine art of self-love. We may think it a shame for others to praise one self, and the wise men teach it also, but tell one of them they’re mistaken on some issue and see how quick they come to their own defense. Folly’s self-praise is considerably less offensive and more modest than the run-of-the-mill human author or speaker who pays good money to have someone else endorse him or sing his praises, or speak sheer lies, and elevate him to Heaven itself, and set him as the model of all virtue. Do you see how very modest Folly is compared to these guys; she would never make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. She is very open and honest about it all!

But, there is that other company too, the common man. He will go to any length to hear his name mentioned in some praise worthy way, whether on the dock, or in the office, from the pulpit, or in the newspaper. He will spend countless hours pouring over some thing: an article, a canvas, an idea, some grueling work, and swear he knocked it out in an hour, or had his company’s best interest in mind, just to earn a little applause. Yes, she keeps company with common folk, and they give her the greatest honor, and eagerly identify with her through their speech, which is, “that truest mirror of the mind,” never mind that they are not outwardly adorned with cap and bells, they foolishly lie, saying one thing and thinking another, something Folly would never do. She cannot be hidden even by those who think themselves wise, strutting around like geniuses, movie stars, or millionaires. The raw fact is they are some of her most ardent followers, even when they are throwing her name around at others as a mark of disgrace and something to be avoided.

Stultitia is fond of imitation; after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as every fool knows, I mean, as we all know. A whole day can be consumed and privileges gained in this pastime. Call it schmoozing or sucking-up if you like, but how wonderful the perks when a compliment is rightly used in a conversation or golf game, geared to open a door or two. How delightful to win at this game of flattery and imitation. Volumes have been written on how to do or say just the right thing to bring down a kingdom or pick up a girl. From top to bottom it is foolishness, and Folly is the mother of all these blessed children.

And, speaking of children, let’s speak first of marriage and its encumbrances. Would any man in his right mind ever submit to it even once, not to mention two, three, four times, (as they do these days) if he ever listened to all the wiseacres forbidding this unthinkable thing with all of its drawbacks? What woman would ever yield to the advances of any man if she stopped to consider the perils of childbirth, and the labors and trials of raising children? This game, as ridiculous as it is, is the fountain of so many disdainful philosophers and schoolmen, and pious priest, and pope-holy pontiffs, that the continent of Europe can scarcely contain them. It would be such a little thing for Folly to assert her role in the very production of this fortune, but she would rather commend her handmaids Anoia (lack of understanding) and Lethe (forgetfulness) for their small part and service. In any case, how can you characterize this life as sane; can you even call it a life, without this associated pleasure? On the contrary, is there any part of life that is not pure misery if not seasoned with the delight of foolishness?

Call me a liar if you want, but isn’t it true that it is the foolishness of youth that makes it so attractive. Aren’t the goo goo’ing and the cuddliness of babies the things that make these little simpletons so alluring, and we encourage silliness as a way to lighten our own burden? Then there is adolescence, those teenagers; full of grace and energy, and appetite. They crave all-things and are ignorant of nothing and everything, all at the same time; one minute playing the fool, and the next, acting as if they’re Einstein. Where does this youthful charm come from but Folly’s handbag? Then there comes the wilting of the flower, our days passing by like falling stars when true happiness is found in a simple place to rest. Youth gives way to seriousness, and the farther they get from foolishness the less they are alive. Stultitia has some precious stones for these primetime grownups also. Like an Indian summer a second childhood recharges those nearly dead batteries, and brings the want of youthfulness. Red sports cars, hair plugs, and tummy tucks are prized commodities of the upperclassmen; if they could only remember where they put the car keys; and wasn’t loud music really made for the old deaf fools. Now, when we consider this advanced period of ripening, wouldn’t you agree that Folly has been most wise, in causing these overgrown nippers to revert to a kind of prepuberty, which is itself identified with a feeble grasp of reality and a meandering mind? Isn’t the primary charm of childhood capsulated in this fact, that it knows nothing? Let a child be a child; a child prodigy is only admired in the company of its parents, never actually; he’s just too smart for his own britches. But, old men and women are loved for their jolliness and feebleness, and not filled with too much wisdom, judgment and advice; but through foolishness, they are made happy. And even so, this phase, toward the end is even better than childhood. Those babes are sweet indeed but they lack the ability to talk, and in that they lack a most enjoyable pastime, gossip, and how that makes life delicious. Old people and infants are so much alike: the wrinkles, gums, whitish hair, a liking of milk, a small bodily frame, forgetful, thoughtless, toothless, loving jokes and tomfoolery; they’re a perfect match.

Now you can understand how those old wise snobs, the scholars, bankers, business owners, and all the wannabes, dry up before their time; devoted to seriousness? They forever worry and beat their brains out trying to untie the Gordian knot, when Alexander’s sword did the trick right nice. As the old saying goes, “A stupid head grows neither gray nor bald.” In this world foolishness is the only way of preserving youth; why else did the Greeks and the Romans have so many gods of pleasure. It is Folly who makes everybody laugh by getting a fool to sing some karaoke, or recite a poem, which the audience would rather hear than a performance at the concert hall, especially when soused on the secretions of madness. We will not mention the foolish things that follow such a feast, when madness has reached its peak; I can hardly keep from laughing. But, I suppose I should put my finger on my lips, lest some tender one be eavesdropping and repeat such things that can’t be spoken-out with impunity, so let’s move on with these two short questions. In this situation, what is there that a man would not give to a woman? And, what compensation would he await in return but, foolishness?

What peace and tranquility comes with perfected folly, and what a treat awaits them at the end of a grueling day, having successfully warded off the assaults of those more foolish than themselves and anyone claiming to know the “truth;” the intolerance of such a thing is repulsive. These intolerant truth fanatics are the arch enemies of Stultitia, and her many defenders deserve to be rewarded with exceptional offerings of madness, and what can this grace be but to drink beer and wine and eat food, and sit stupefied for hours watching television. What better way to end a day in the jungle than to just “tune out” reality, and spend quality time with family. The preciousness of this craziness is testified to by the fact that virtually everyone, 97.5%, partake of this blessing daily, for hours and hours, and most own more than one T.V., and many leave them on all day long. What in the world can excel this madness; a massive troop of fools enlisted for no other reason than to praise Folly, by living out a life of fantastic happiness, laughing or crying on cue. The cheap thrills we receive erratically throughout the day cannot be compared to this programed stupidity, on purpose no less; and even this is not to be compared to the banquet of fools served up for our enjoyment by Hollywood in all of its varied formats; good Lord!, this colossal ignorance takes my breath away. We haven’t even gotten to the fanatical worship of the sports channel, or the religious piracy of TBN; these are a couple of Folly’s favorites, but not to be out done by those wonderful soaps in their dishonest depiction of the life we would love to lead.

Well, my beloved friends I have taken much, too much, of your precious time in silliness and foolish talk, and I have to stop for a while. I know I promised to venture into other realms, like putting my finger on those stick-in-the-mud professional churchmen and statesmen; and to show you a blissful alternative and escape hatch, but I have to stop and get my breath; but stay tuned, the end of the thing is near, I promise.

Delusions of Grandeur, the Breakfast of Champions

Stultitia is often found in the pulpit imitating the “divines” who are confident that they have risen to Lordship, Father-hood, Reverendship, or Most Reverendship, or some other self-ingratiating title.

The Christian Fools Paradox; Black Is Black? and White Is Actually White?

An offering of bliss, or an intolerant assault on insanity?

This is a very important event. Americans, and the world have had their heads buried in the sand for way too long, and it is people like David Barton who have turned that sort of thing into a national past time. The old saying, "Ignorance is bliss" has never been more true than today. Politics and religion are the two areas where ignorance is the most blissful. Well a little of this bliss has been has been interrupted with a refreshing case of conscientiousness; let's just hope it is a trend.

 Following is a transcript of an article written by Warren Throckmorton detailing the events of the beginning of David Barton's demise. Also, below is the audio link of Chris Pinto's Noise of Thunder radio show talking about this same event, up to 8:30 mark. Wake-up people, time is running out.

Radio Station in Texas cancels David Barton’s Wallbuilders Live During Show