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| − | ==Danger of Cults is Growing== | + | ===Easter, Baal and Israel=== |
| − | <strong>Danger of Cults is Growing</strong><br><br>
| + | Now that we know that Easter is the goddess Ashtaroth, we need to look into the Bible and see what God thinks of her, and notice her connection to Baal. |
| − | As individuals and societies, we do not have a strong understanding of the phenomenon of cults, nor of the dangers cults pose. Thus, preventative action is rarely undertaken by appropriate establishments, such as our homes, cultural institutions, and governments. Lack of understanding or action persists despite highly publicized cult violence over the last four years, somber statistics of the cult problem, and the upcoming millennium which is predicted to spark more catastrophes. The following overview is provided to alert people to the growing danger of cults worldwide.<br><br>
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| − | '''Recent Cult Tragedies in the News'''
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| − | 1994. More than 60 members of Europe's Solar Temple cult were induced to mass suicide in France and Switzerland.<br><br>
| + | [[File:Ttigtio-nimrod_small1.jpg]]<br> |
| | + | Nimrod |
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| − | 1995. Japan's Aum Shin Rikyo cult released sarin nerve gas in Tokyo subway killing ten and injuring thousands. Only recently in June 1998, testimonies in recent trials of Aum Shin Rikyo members revealed that for years prior to the 1995 attack, the group released lethal germ warfare in Japan, targeting the Japanese Legislature, the Imperial Palace, and the US military base at Yokosuka. The poisons were not detected at the times of their releases, and apparently caused no deaths. The attacks were intended to spark the apocalypse Aum Shin Rikyo postulates is coming. Meanwhile, about 200 current members met for a fundraising conference in late April, 1998, paying up to $1,500 each to attend.<br><br>
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| − | 1997. 39 members of the Heaven's Gate cult including leader Marshall Applewhite ingested a combination of vodka and drugs at Applewhite's instruction, resulting in what the mother of victim called "one suicide and 38 murders." Members were convinced that the only way to survive Earth's being "recycled" in the year 2000 was to be picked up by a UFO flying in the wake of the Hale-Bopp comet.<br><br>
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| − | 1997. Teenage members of a Vampire cult murdered the parents of one of its members. Self-proclaimed lead vampire received the death sentence.<br><br>
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| − | 1998. Scientology has faced allegations of member suicides, deaths, and psychotic breaks; when Germany refused to recognize Scientology as a bona fide religious organization, contending the cult is a threat to democracy, the United States accused Germany of "intolerance" and caused international diplomatic tensions.<br><br>
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| − | '''Somber Statistics'''<br><br>
| + | This first of two sources about Baal comes from Encyclopedia Britannica, and it begins to connect Baal to Ashtaroth: “The Semitic word baal, meaning owner or master, was also used in ancient religions for lord or god, and it is still defined as a Canaanite or Phoenician deity. Among the greatest of the Semitic peoples’ deities were Baal and Astarte—both symbols of fertility. Baal, the god of the sun, was supposed to make crops grow and flocks increase. Astarte [was] the goddess of the moon…” |
| − | While recent cult tragedies have received a great deal of media coverage, many facts regarding cults are rarely divulged to the general public.<br><br>
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| − | Of the 912 People's Temple members who died in Jonestown, Guyana in 1978, 276 were children, and of more than 80 who died at Waco, Texas in 1993, 25 were children.<br><br>
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| − | An estimated 5,000 economic, political, and religious groups operate in the United States alone at any given time, with 2.5 million members. Over the last ten years, cults have used tactics of coercive mind control to negatively impact an estimated 20 million victims in the last ten years. Worldwide figures are even greater.
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| − | The cult problem is so prevalent, the chances of a family member joining a cult are greater than a family member catching chicken pox, four times greater than contracting AIDS, 90 times greater than contracting measles, and 45,000 times greater than contracting polio. [Dr. Paul Martin, cult expert and director of Wellspring Retreat & Resource Center, Ohio, USA].<br><br>
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| − | 25% of the millions of cult members worldwide "will suffer enduring, irreversible harm that will affect their ability to function adequately in emotional, social, family, and occupational domains," according to Dr. Martin. For every person who becomes a cult member, many more are impacted; parents, children, other family, and friends suffer personal and often economic loss.<br><br>
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| | + | Now read this quote from The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition: “Baal had become the ruler of the universe. The Ugarit tablets make him chief of the Canaanite pantheon. He is the source of life and fertility, the mightiest hero, the lord of war, and the defeater of the god Yam. There were many temples of Baal in Canaan, and the name Baal was often added to that of a locality, e.g., Baal-peor, Baal-hazor, Baal-hermon. The Baal cult penetrated Israel and at times led to syncretism…The practice of sacred prostitution seems to have been associated with the worship of Baal in Palestine and the cult was vehemently denounced by the prophets…” (emphasis ours). |
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| − | [[Category:Cults]][[Category:Lifestyle]]
| + | Baal was the most popular and powerful god of his time, considered to be “ruler of the universe” and Israel wanted to be associated with—to worship—both Baal and the true God. Hence, the above reference to “syncretism,” which is the mixing of true and false religion—the worship of the true God mixed with customs, practices and worship of other gods. |
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| − | '''To Continue [[Cults |Click Here]]''' | + | Merging worship of the true God with Baal worship was Israel’s problem. Remember, it led Elijah to indict all Israel: “How long halt you between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word” (I Kgs. 18:21). |
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| | + | Now let’s examine Israel’s involvement with Baal and Ashtaroth: “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord…And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth[Easter]” (Judges 2:11, 13). |
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| | + | The context of the passage shows that God allowed His people to be taken from their land into foreign captivity as a result of this sin! It continues, explaining how God delivered His people over and over again through a series of judges. After each deliverance, Israel returned to the same false gods, which in turn brought another captivity, via conquest by the nations around them. They never seemed to learn, as Judges 2:19 makes clear: “And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves…in following other gods…and…they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.” In Judges 10:6, Israel repeats this pattern of rebellion and stubbornness. And God, just as insistently, called it evil—as He still does today. |
| | + | |
| | + | Baal and Ashtaroth worship reappeared during the prophet Samuel’s time. Samuel told Israel, “…put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only…Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only” (I Sam. 7:3-4). Later, in I Samuel 12:10-11, Samuel publicly recounted Israel’s history to them. He reminded them that they continually returned to obeying God, only to fall backwards into idolatry again and again! |
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| | + | Let’s read one final example. The Bible states that King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. Yet, he made a mistake that God considered so great that, after his death, He punished Solomon by removing the kingdom from his son. |
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| | + | His mistake? |
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| | + | He married a woman who led him into the worship of Easter (Ashtaroth). Notice I Kings 11:4-6: “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods…For Solomon went after Ashtaroth the goddess of the Zidonians…And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.” I Kings 11:11-12 demonstrate that the kingdom was, in fact, taken from his son. |
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| | + | God considered worship of this goddess as outright “evil.” This was even though Solomon was only “not fully” seeking the true God. |
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| | + | It has been said that “The only thing man has learned from history is that no one learns from history.” George Santyana took it further, stating, as we saw, “Those who do not learn the lesson of history are doomed to repeat it.” |
| | + | |
| | + | This lesson describes ancient Israel—but it also describes today’s modern world. Because Israel could not stay on track, they were eventually taken into captivity, eventually becoming lost to history! (After one more captivity and punishment, prophecy reveals that God will gather them from captivity for the last time just before Christ’s Return.) |
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| | + | [[Category:]][[Category:]] |
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| | + | '''To Continue [[Click Here]]''' |
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 March's featured article
THE END IS NEAR Click Link
Creation and the Flood
Be Glorified
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQbD-WsAdSk
This, my very first full videosong, is my extremely heart-felt "THANK YOU" to all those who pray for me and support me and this ministry. I really love you more than you know and can hardly wait to enjoy the love of Jesus with you - eternaly in heaven... soon! I hope you enjoy this videosong and take it to heart. THIS IS FOR YOU. God bless!
Your ever-grateful brother in Christ,
Scottie
P.S. This is a repost of my 2012 video. I deleted the long-winded outro for ease of viewing my playlist.
P.P.S. It has nothing to do with "Saint" Valentines day. I'm just sayin'.
"Be Glorified" writen by Louie Giglio & Chris Tomlin
Easter, Baal and Israel
Now that we know that Easter is the goddess Ashtaroth, we need to look into the Bible and see what God thinks of her, and notice her connection to Baal.
Nimrod
This first of two sources about Baal comes from Encyclopedia Britannica, and it begins to connect Baal to Ashtaroth: “The Semitic word baal, meaning owner or master, was also used in ancient religions for lord or god, and it is still defined as a Canaanite or Phoenician deity. Among the greatest of the Semitic peoples’ deities were Baal and Astarte—both symbols of fertility. Baal, the god of the sun, was supposed to make crops grow and flocks increase. Astarte [was] the goddess of the moon…”
Now read this quote from The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition: “Baal had become the ruler of the universe. The Ugarit tablets make him chief of the Canaanite pantheon. He is the source of life and fertility, the mightiest hero, the lord of war, and the defeater of the god Yam. There were many temples of Baal in Canaan, and the name Baal was often added to that of a locality, e.g., Baal-peor, Baal-hazor, Baal-hermon. The Baal cult penetrated Israel and at times led to syncretism…The practice of sacred prostitution seems to have been associated with the worship of Baal in Palestine and the cult was vehemently denounced by the prophets…” (emphasis ours).
Baal was the most popular and powerful god of his time, considered to be “ruler of the universe” and Israel wanted to be associated with—to worship—both Baal and the true God. Hence, the above reference to “syncretism,” which is the mixing of true and false religion—the worship of the true God mixed with customs, practices and worship of other gods.
Merging worship of the true God with Baal worship was Israel’s problem. Remember, it led Elijah to indict all Israel: “How long halt you between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word” (I Kgs. 18:21).
Now let’s examine Israel’s involvement with Baal and Ashtaroth: “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord…And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth[Easter]” (Judges 2:11, 13).
The context of the passage shows that God allowed His people to be taken from their land into foreign captivity as a result of this sin! It continues, explaining how God delivered His people over and over again through a series of judges. After each deliverance, Israel returned to the same false gods, which in turn brought another captivity, via conquest by the nations around them. They never seemed to learn, as Judges 2:19 makes clear: “And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves…in following other gods…and…they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.” In Judges 10:6, Israel repeats this pattern of rebellion and stubbornness. And God, just as insistently, called it evil—as He still does today.
Baal and Ashtaroth worship reappeared during the prophet Samuel’s time. Samuel told Israel, “…put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only…Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only” (I Sam. 7:3-4). Later, in I Samuel 12:10-11, Samuel publicly recounted Israel’s history to them. He reminded them that they continually returned to obeying God, only to fall backwards into idolatry again and again!
Let’s read one final example. The Bible states that King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. Yet, he made a mistake that God considered so great that, after his death, He punished Solomon by removing the kingdom from his son.
His mistake?
He married a woman who led him into the worship of Easter (Ashtaroth). Notice I Kings 11:4-6: “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods…For Solomon went after Ashtaroth the goddess of the Zidonians…And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.” I Kings 11:11-12 demonstrate that the kingdom was, in fact, taken from his son.
God considered worship of this goddess as outright “evil.” This was even though Solomon was only “not fully” seeking the true God.
It has been said that “The only thing man has learned from history is that no one learns from history.” George Santyana took it further, stating, as we saw, “Those who do not learn the lesson of history are doomed to repeat it.”
This lesson describes ancient Israel—but it also describes today’s modern world. Because Israel could not stay on track, they were eventually taken into captivity, eventually becoming lost to history! (After one more captivity and punishment, prophecy reveals that God will gather them from captivity for the last time just before Christ’s Return.)
[[Category:]][[Category:]]
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There is nothing wrong with being in business and selling things. However, if you are a church or any kind of "ministry", you may want to check your motive for how you are conducting the work of the Lord.
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By David C. Pack
 Logo public dcp.jpg WHY Coming World Punishment! (Part 1)
20 Verses Christianity Ignores! (Part 1)
http://www.worldtocome.org/player.html#!Item=560674]
The Trinity—Does the Bible Teach It?
Does the Bible teach that God is a “Trinity”—three persons in one being? Most professing Christians answer “yes.” Although long the litmus test of traditional
http://www.worldtocome.org/player.html#!Item=561008,1]
presented by David C. Pack
You Can Prove the Bible’s Authority
Many accept the Bible’s divine authority on faith, thinking it cannot be proven. Is what is often called the Book of books the Word of God? Or is it mere superstition—an uninspired work of men?
What Is Human Nature?
The human mind has brought awesome advancements in science, technology and exploration. But it also yields vanity, greed, lust, deceit—and appalling evil. Why this paradox? You can understand!
presented by David C. Pack
'Childrearing – God’s Way'
The family unit is under assault as never before. But parents can rear balanced, moral children in a degenerate, immoral society! God’s Word reveals much about proper childrearing. Here are life-changing biblical teachings!
presented by David C. Pack
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Understanding the Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfaII2pJqCw
How are we to understand the place that the Sabbath plays, if any, in the life of the people of God? Turn in your Bible for a moment to Exodus chapter 20. This is the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments. And near the middle of the Ten Commandments is the fourth commandment. We begin to read about it in verse 8. "Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servants, or your cattle or your sojourner or stranger who stays with you, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
Guest speaker James Walker of the Watchmen Fellowship
Free Video & Profile: Only six shopping days till Armageddon? The Mayan Calendar ends next Friday and the media is giving major coverage to a growing number of "doomsday preppers" getting ready for what they fear may be the "end of the world as we know it" next week on December 21, 2012.
I think they need to be getting ready for another end-times "false alarm." Apparently, the Mayan couldn't even predict the demise of their own civilization -- much less ours. Nevertheless, thousands around the world are holding their breath, waiting for next Friday. Even some on Christian Television, such as Jack Van Impe, cannot resist the temptation of date-setting. So what is a proper Christian approach to true Bible prophecies and end-times teachings in light of all the false prophets today?
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=JxIbd&m=JHqs9G7j_w_D6D&b=FeI041clTWvMlX662GftBw
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