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Papal Power and the End
Times
by Michael Burkert
When Josef Cardinal Ratzinger ascended the papal throne in Rome, few realized
the significance of his election. Most opined at the time that he would be only
a “caretaker” Pope. Others went so far as to state that he was only elected to
fill the position until such time as a “real” successor to John Paul II could be
identified and subsequently groomed for the papacy.
Make no mistake about it. Pope Benedict XVI is a REAL POPE. He is not a
caretaker, nor is he some interloper that sits around the Vatican fanning
himself! There is fierceness about Benedict that has surprised even his most
fervent detractors. He is a man to be reckoned with and he is already proving
his mettle.
He ascended the papal throne at the ripe age of 78. Most thoroughly believed
that he would take it easy in his winter years, relax and enjoy the trapping of
the papacy and just “let things ride.” However, the detractors were wrong in
their misguided and premature evaluations of this man, his vision and his
intentions for the church.
During the short period that Benedict has ruled the Church of Rome, a number of
significant events have occurred. He lost little time in beginning the clean up
of the Roman clergy. Homosexual priests, bishops and cardinals are no longer to
be tolerated. He has removed numerous Vatican officials for having failed to
uphold Catholic doctrines, papal rulings and non-negotiable Catholic core
values. He has denounced homosexuality for the grievous sin that it is. However,
he has done even more than this.
During the summer of 2005, Benedict traveled to his native Germany to speak at a
Catholic Youth Festival. It was his first papal visit to the German Fatherland.
I well remember the adulation shown to the Pope by throngs of Germans both
Catholic and non-Catholic. I saw for myself the unbelievable frenzy that his
passing motorcade caused, when it crossed the route where I was waiting. There
were cries of Der Papst der Papst, UNSER Papst! (The Pope the Pope, OUR POPE).
As a young boy, Josef Ratzinger was a member of the Hitler Youth. This is not
his fault as it was a state requirement for both young boys and girls to be a
part of the Nazi youth movement. The leaders of Hitlerian Germany were will
aware of the necessity of capturing the minds of the nation’s young people so
that the regime could be preserved by a follow-on cadre of a trained and
prepared younger generation.
The greatest accomplishment of the Ratzinger papacy may well be the
re-establishment of the Roman Catholic Church as a sanctuary for the youth of
Europe. In first cleaning up the clergy and eliminating pedophiles, sexual
deviants and perverts, Benedict wishes to assure the young people of Europe that
they have a safe place to worship, study, play and need not fear being
subjugated to the whims of a sexual predator.
In 2005 Ratzinger declared, “How much filth there is in the church, even among
those who in the priesthood, should belong entirely to Him.” That same year, the
Pope declared war on secularism. He has written about the moral decline of the
church and chalked it up to “liberation theology.” No longer a staple of
Catholicism, an AGGRESSIVE RELIGIOSITY has replaced it.
From the beginning, Ratzinger has used politics as a prime weapon in his quest
to revitalize the Church of Rome. After all, he has at his disposal, a
DIPLOMATIC SERVICE that is unequaled in skill, ability and stealth. He is
already flexing his muscles in Italian politics and is extending the power and
influence of the Roman church to other countries in Europe. Don’t think that his
influence in GERMANY is minimal.
Remembering the power of the Nazi media he witnessed first hand as a youth,
Ratzinger announced last month that the Roman church would launch a new media
war.
His intention is to build a worldwide television network from where he can
communicate with the peoples throughout the world, bringing the messages of the
church to the multitudes.
Benedict knows all too well that there is a rather large number of young people
who are looking for an alternative to the liberal socialist and secular
progressive society which is forced upon them in most of Western Europe and
North America. A return to the Mother Church is in the offing and it’s happening
right under our noses.
Benedict has already been able to influence politics in Italy as I mentioned
above. Earlier this year, the Pope exercised enough power to quietly replace
secular Prime Minister Romano Prodi. He has told Catholic politicians that,
“they must not vote for laws that go against issues such as abortion and
homosexual marriage.”
Pope Benedict XVI sees his mission as one to restore the proper place of the
Roman Church in Europe. That means no compromise with the “non-negotiable church
values.” Additionally, the Pope was able to influence the rejection of a law to
repeal of the Sonntag Rechte or Sunday law in Germany.
The German “Sunday law” was a Nazi initiated law, coordinated with the Catholic
Church, that is still in effect and enforced. It essentially requires that
businesses and stores close on Sunday, as it is a “family day” and a “day of
worship.” Ratzinger has told both Italian and German politicians that they must
give “public testimony to their Catholic faith.” Apparently he is holding their
feet to the fire as evidenced by the growing influence of Catholicism in
European politics.
As we move further into the end times, we continue to hear daily of the threat
Islam poses to both Europe and the Americas. Europe will NOT BECOME EURABIA, as
some continue to speculate. However, for now, the media in both Europe and the
United States will focus on the Islamic threat and report virtually nothing
concerning the Catholic revolution Benedict began in 2005.
Our partisan media in the United States and Canada will continue to delude us
with liberal biased reporting of issues designed to destroy the Bush Presidency,
and assure liberal control of both our nation’s governments for the foreseeable
future.
Garner Ted Armstrong taught us that the 10-nation Beast power, allied with its
false prophet is going to “rise up quickly” as if by magic, under our very
noses. Things are moving rapidly now. Events are stacking up, prophecies are
being fulfilled at a breathtaking pace, yet we are not aware of most of the
world events that will soon affect every man, woman and child on this planet!
The media is too concerned with fluff such as the latest outrage uttered by
Rosie, or the deranged ranting of Alec, or what Anna Nicole had for dinner
before she died. We are left largely in the dark about events developing in
Europe both in the political as well as the social and religious sectors. Europe
is of little concern to our media.
It is now becoming obvious that the United States will not win the WAR WITH
ISLAM. Our nation is divided and lacks resolve to win any war, let alone the war
we are currently fighting. It is doubtful that any president elected in 2008 can
turn things around, rally our nation and prosecute a successful war with Islam.
That war has been repeatedly declared “lost” by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), the
leader of his party. Is this a self-fulfilling prophecy? Will American troops
return home, as they did following the Vietnam War, once again beaten, not on
the battlefield, but in the Congress of the United States? Will our U.S.
government seal our defeat with Islam? This is certainly the indication we see
on a daily basis.
Clearly the “American Century” is over. Josef Ratzinger is acutely aware that
both the United States and Great Britain have lost power and influence.
Secularism, Multi-Culturalism and the abandonment of God have weakened us from
within.
Both of our nations will soon be relegated to second class status and the Pope
is very much aware of events that are rapidly overtaking both the U.S. and the
UK. Ratzinger knows that WE HAVE ABANDONED GOD and the price we will soon be
forced to pay is high!
He sees his mission, in the years of papacy that he has left, to insure that
European Catholicism resumes her traditional role in the governance and guidance
of Europe. The re-establishment of Catholic influence over every aspect of
European life is in the offing. The legacy of Pope Benedict XVI will be a strong
economic and militarily powerful CATHOLIC Europe.
Only a United Europe, bound together by the Church of Rome will demonstrate the
resolve to deal with ISLAMIC EXPANSIONISM. Benedict knows all too well the
historic role that the Church has played in opposing Islam. With the coming U.S.
and Israeli debacle in the Middle East, it will be up to the Europeans once and
for all to settle matters with Islam.
We face a tumultuous period, a very precarious time for all. We may well see the
“triumph of Islam” overcome the United States. Unchecked Muslim immigration,
deference to quirky Muslim demands to include SHARI’A Law, may well overtake us.
Dark forces are gathering around the world as never before. The “radar scope” is
overloaded with “blips” on the horizon that will bring about the SECOND COMING
OF JESUS CHRIST.
Pray daily that you may be found worth to escape all these things and to STAND
with your Savior on the Mount of Olives at the sound of the Last Trump. Pray
daily that the WILL of the Eternal God be done, and that he send His Son Jesus
Christ back to this earth soon, to establish His Kingdom.
Breaking News Stories
Go
here for the latest news stories on this subject.
–news stories added 1 May 2007
Further reading:
See Word from:
Will Benedict XVI Become Known as the.."Pope of Popes?"
See Word from:
A Benign Papacy?
See Word from:
Twenty-First Century Crusades?
See Word from:
The NEW Anti-Semitism ...an End Time Factor?
See Word from:
Will the European Union Achieve SUPERPOWER Status?
See Word from:
Can the U.S. Win the "War on Terror"?
See Word from:
Centuries’ Old Doctrine “Now out of Date”
See Word from:
Protestant Churches Accept Papal Authority
See booklet:
"Who, What is the 'Beast' of Revelation?"
See booklet: "Europe
and America in Prophecy"
See booklet:
United States of Europe, When?
See booklet:
The Church and the New World Order
See
Shari'a Law
See
Josef Cardinal Ratzinger
See
American Century
See
EURABIA
Photos:
Left: Pope Cardinal Ratzinger
Middle: EU flag
Right: Vatican
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