(Image: Brunson Facebook Page)

Turkey is subjecting Christian pastor Andrew Brunson to a kangaroo court where the so-called witnesses, who claims that Brunson is a terrorist and spy, are kept secret with obscured voices. The case is now on hold until May 7 and Pastor Andrew has been thrown into one of Turkey’s worst and least safe prisons.  Meanwhile, the American government is trying to get him released. Here’s what President Trump has say about the pastor:

Pastor Andrew Brunson, a fine gentleman and Christian leader in the United States, is on trial and being persecuted in Turkey for no reason. They call him a Spy, but I am more a Spy than he is. Hopefully he will be allowed to come home to his beautiful family where he belongs!

<Read the while article>

Here’s Kristina Arriaga, vice chairwoman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on this case:

…no evidence exists to support charges Brunson committed espionage against Turkey and aided terrorist groups.
"There were no charges filed against him except through secret testimony," Arriaga told CBN News.

"It is so incredibly unjust for this man – whose only crime is to believe in God and tell other people about it – that now he’s involved in a game of hostage diplomacy," she said. "Every American is at risk in Turkey."

<Read the whole article>

Response: Pastor Brunson is facing 35 years in horrible Turkish prisons. In reality it would be a death sentence. According to the Turkish government he was a member of an opposition Muslim group that is considered to be a ‘terrorist’ organization. It is rather ridiculous to think that an evangelical pastor would actually participate in a Muslim terrorist group.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames an American resident- Muslim cleric and college professor Fethullah Gulen for a coup in 2016. The US government refuses to extradite the professor without some kind of evidence. Most consider Pastor Brunson to be an ongoing political ‘hostage’ as part of an attempt by Turkey to force the United States to turn over Fethullah Gulen.               *Top

During the confirmation hearings for Secretary of State, CIA Director Mike Pompeo was questioned by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) on whether he believed that homosexuality was a sin. From the Daily Wire:

On Thursday, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) …asked Pompeo,

     “Do you believe gay sex is a perversion?”

Pompeo is a religious Christian, so presumably he does. He answered, quite properly,

     “When I was a politician, I had a very clear view on whether it was appropriate for two same-sex persons to marry. I stand by that (against).”

He also informed Booker,

     “My respect for every individual regardless of sexual orientation is the same.”

This is anti-Christian bigotry from Booker. It’s that simple. Religious people of all major faiths — Christian, Jewish, Muslim — believe homosexual activity is a sin. …None of that means that religious people thereby want the rights of gays and lesbians violated.

<Read the whole article>

Response: Lately it is becoming far too common during confirmation hearings for candidates to be questioned about their faith or closely held beliefs that originate from their personal religion. The Constitution is very clear that there should be no religious test for public office.

Nevertheless, a number of liberal leaders have made it quite clear that they believe that there should be some way to eliminate conservative Christians from serving. Sen. Bernie Sanders in an interview following his confirmation interrogation of Russell T. Vought’s beliefs clearly stated that Christians may have freedom to believe what they want but those who maintain similar conservative views as Vought should not be allowed to serve in the American government.

Then during confirmation hearings for judicial nominee Amy Barrett; Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), all attacked Barrett over her conservative Catholic views. Now this week Mike Pompeo was challenged by Sen. Booker over his Christian views on homosexuality.

This is a dangerous pattern that cannot be ignored since elected leaders seem to be suggesting that the Constitution needs to be disregarded when it comes to conservative Christians. Even worse, the media seems to be supporting these attacks. Not only that, but leaders in higher education are not only condoning such tactics but are actually calling for more of the same. Not to even mention LBGT and atheist activists.

Point is, we are entering new territory where conservative Christians are being singled out as unqualified to serve in public offices because of their religious beliefs regardless of what the Constitution may say about religious tests. Discrimination is no longer supposed to be tolerated in this country but it does now seem to be condoned by some progressives when it comes to conservative Christians? Is this the kind of future we want for America? Time to voice your opinions and pray.             *Top

                                 (Image: Wikipedia)

Over 225 Christians lost their lives and homes to radical Muslim Fulani herdsmen last month alone in Nigeria. This number does not include the 37 Christians killed by the Boko Haram also in March.

The world press pays little or no attention to this slaughter because it is considered to be a tribal and socioeconomic dispute rather than a religious based conflict. Nevertheless, the facts contradict that story line since Christians are singled out for attacks while Muslims in the same villages are left alone. From the Christian Post:

A shocking 225 Christians were massacred in Nigeria in March by the radical Fulani herdsmen, according to a watchdog group. Yet the Nigerian government and Western media are failing to take adequate notice of the severity of the escalating crisis,…

"Though there are socioeconomic and ethnic components to these attacks, the majority of attacks are directed at Christian villages. If the attacks were simply driven by socioeconomic or ethnic factors, churches would not be common targets during these attacks. In most of the villages that have been ransacked over the past decade, churches and pastoral homes have been destroyed," Johnson told CP.

He said that while disputes and fights do occur between Fulani and other Muslim communities, they are on a much smaller scale, with some reports also suggesting that the Fulani warn Muslims in certain communities before carrying out their attacks.

<Read the whole article>

Response: Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari had promised during his election campaign that he would protect Christians but that has not been the case. The Radical Muslim Fulani in particular seem to have been emboldened since his election. Fact is, the Nigerian government under this president has done nothing to curtail the Fulani attacks against Christians.

International pressure needs to be brought to bear on Buhari and his government to take action against the radical Fulani before more innocent Christian men,women, and children are killed. I am posting on this in order to bring some light upon what is actually happening so that Western Christians will demand action and also remember to pray for their brothers and sisters in Nigeria.               *Top

Is this the beginning of a Gog of Magog alignment (Ezekiel 38-39)? Last week, Turkey’s President Erdogan met together with Russia’s President Putin and Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani in a summit to talk over their allied efforts in Syria.

Last year when Putin sold his best anti-aircraft missile system to Turkey we posted about how that was a major historical development that might have Ezekiel 38-39 implications. This summit continues that developing alignment. See what we said last year which is even more poignant now with this recent strategic get together: 

“-Turkey and Russia Missile Agreement: Implications for an Ezekiel 38-39 Scenario”

And here is an earlier post about the modern countries which might be the equivalent of the ancient ones listed in Ezekiel 38-39:

“-Is ‘Gog and Magog’ Beginning to Line Up?”

Here are two additional articles which also have Ezekiel implications showing a developing pattern and tendency for the leaders of Turkey and Iran to call for and support a potential attack upon Israel:

“-Turkish President Calls On Muslims To Invade Jerusalem and Pushes for a New Caliphate”

“-Iran: Ayatollah Khamenei Tells His Nation to Prepare for ‘End-Time’ War”

(Reprinted from the Apologetica page)

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During Easter week, a Leftist/atheist quoted Pope Francis from a private conversation as saying that there is no Hell, only annihilation for the wicked. After it was quoted in an leftist Italian newspaper- La Repubblica, all heck literally broke out in the international press.

Soon the Vatican officially denied the quote. Nevertheless, the story had legs, particularly since it came  during the Christian Holy Week. Here’s a synopsis of the controversy from the NY Times:

ROME — The Vatican felt obliged this week to reaffirm that Pope Francis believes in a central tenet of Catholicism, that there is a hell.

That odd declaration came after the newspaper La Repubblica published a front-page article on Thursday by an atheist, left-wing and anticlerical giant of Italian journalism, who reported that during a recent meeting the pope had said that hell did not exist.

Bad souls are “not punished,” the journalist, Eugenio Scalfari, 93, reported the pope as saying. “A hell doesn’t exist.” …

But the infernal remarks, especially as the pope prepared for Easter Sunday celebrations, proved too tempting for international tabloids, conservative websites antagonistic to the pope and many others to let go.

<Read the whole article>

Response: The liberal media always looks for ways to embarrass Christians during the holiest week in the Christian calendar. Usually it comes in the form of exposés and documentaries against Jesus and the resurrection. Last week I looked for the newest anti-Christian controversy and this seemed to fit the bill. The Pope contradicting the official teaching of the church begs the question- ‘Is the Pope Catholic?’ And when it comes to this Pope and the central doctrines of the church maybe not so much?

Here’s the actual quote translated from Italian into English:

"Scalfari: What happens to that lost soul? Will it be punished? And how? The response of Francis is distinct and clear (netta e chiara): there is no punishment, but the destruction/annihilation of that soul. [The Italian word is annullamento, literally, "turned into nothing", meaning here the same as the more usual Italian word for annihilation, annientamento] All the others will participate in the beatitude of living in the presence of the Father. The souls that are destroyed/annihilated will not take part in that banquet; with the death of the body their journey is finished. And this is the motivation of the Church’s missionary activity: to save the lost. And it is also the reason why Francis is a Jesuit to the end."

But is the quote among ‘friends’ really all that misleading as the Vatican wants us to believe? Universalism and Annihilation have been major tenets of liberal theology for an entire generation and more. They were popular teachings when I was in seminary 35 years ago and Pope Francis is known to be a proponent of, or at the very least in sympathy with, many of the tenets of liberal Liberation Theology. It would not be out of character for such a one with that background to privately suggest that most will be saved (Universalism) accept the really wicked who will probably face annihilation from the Father God of love rather than an eternity of punishment in a fiery Hell.

Would Pope Francis ever make an ‘official’ statement promoting Universalism and Annihilation which are in direct conflict with the Bible and the official teaching of the church? No—never. However, church members would probably be quite surprised with the results if a poll was taken of Catholic priests and nuns in the West along with mainline Protestant pastors and ministers, if they answered truthfully, about their personal beliefs on Heaven, Hell, and/or Universal salvation and Annihilation.                *Top

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

May You and your family have a wonderful Easter. May we all remember and reflect upon what is really important after all the cultural fun of Easter bunnies, colored eggs, and special ham dinners and family get togethers. May we remember what the day is really all about—the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Happy Resurrection Day!

When the women went to the tomb on Easter morning the rock was rolled away and the tomb was empty. Not only that but an angel met them there and said:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come see the place where he lay.”

…And behold Jesus met them and said, “Greetings! Do not be afraid…” –Matt.28:5-10

Another good scripture to remember–this is what Jesus told Martha before he raised her brother Lazarus from the grave:

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?  –John 11:25-26

The good question for each one of us today—Do you believe this?

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