Today's headlines in the Monitor Newspaper had me flipping!
Yes, the Pope has added 7 more new commandments to what God has in the bible.
Being the usual nutsy me, am bursting with curiosity as to what they really mean and how they connect with the Bible.
As I dig around, I cannot help but recall how many millions of people follow blindly what is passed by the Vatican. I have in mind my aunt in the village who has a new born baby every time i visit her. Yes, and this is despite the limited resources and dwindling vital energy.
So what are the papers saying?
After 1,500 years, the Vatican has brought the seven deadly sins up to date by adding seven new ones for the age of globalisation.The list of sins, published yesterday in L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, came as the Pope deplored the "decreasing sense of sin" in today's "secularized world" and the falling numbers of Roman Catholics going to confession.
The new deadly sins are polluting, genetic engineering, being obscenely rich, drug dealing, abortion, pedophilia and causing social injustice
So what does this mean, does the bible need to be "updated" so as to meet modernity? Interestingly, the almost last verse of the bible has this to say...and I am quoting the Jerusalem Bible.
Revelation 22:18 This is my solemn attestation to all who hear the prophecies in this book: if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him every plague mentioned in the book;19 if anyone cuts anything out of the prophecies in this book, God will cut off his share of the tree of life and of the holy city, which are described in the book.20 The one who attests these things says: I am indeed coming soon. Amen; come, Lord Jesus. 21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen.
Meanwhile the article did continue to say
The Pope also complained that an increasing number of people in the secularized West were "making do without God."
He said that hedonism and consumerism had even invaded "the bosom of the Church itself, deeply undermining the Christian faith from within, and undermining the lifestyle and daily behavior of believers."
The Pope has powers through the Canon law to name sins and grade them for Catholics to follow.
We seriously need to know our bible!
10 comments:
Hey Maureen. I randomly came across your blog while searching for this "new commandment" thing. I agree that this is quite interesting. It's scary that a man in a position of such power, over so many people, would decide to add to the Bible. However, I don't agree with something you said. At one point, I also noticed the fact that Revalation made it very clear that we are not to add or take away anything, "from this book." I believe that the book John is referring to, in Revelation, is just that. The book of Revelation. The Bible was not technically a book at that point. I would encourage you to check out:
Deuteronomy 4:2
"You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you."
I hope this helps. :)
Hi Girlsenberry2000,
Thank you for your comment and proceeding discussion. Much appreciated that you took time to read and think it through.
At the very first page, at the beginning of the Hebrew Scriptures, it says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The book starts at the very beginning of creation with reference to our earth. Nothing on this subject could evidently come before that since this indeed was the commencement of the written Word of God.
At Det 4:2. Moses was going to die, he had reached the end of his road and had had the privileged of writing all commands now known as the Mosaic law. It was thus only fitting that he concludes by emphasizing to the Israelites the need to obey God's laws as instructed. After all he knew just how stubborn they were.
Malachi also had final words to the Isrealites, “Remember, you people, the law of Moses my servant with which I commanded him in Horeb concerning all Israel, even regulations and judicial decisions. Look! I am sending to you people Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah. And he must turn the heart of fathers back toward sons, and the heart of sons back toward fathers; in order that I may not come and actually strike the earth with a devoting of it to destruction.” (Malachi 4:4-6)
Another episode concluded, and more warnings not only to heed the written word but to look out for the Christ. The next book then aptly ushers in the Christian Greek Scriptures and see how it begins...“The book of the history of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham: Abraham became father to Isaac.” (Matthew 1:1, 2)
Evidently a continuation of the earlier written books, Else if it was to be seen as a "new" book, then who would Matthew be referring since he did not have to explain who they were.
Like a novel, the characters were already identified in the first chapters, and the subsequent ones did not need a re-introduction.
But when you read Revelation 22, its more than just applying to Revelation the book itself evidently because
1) Revelation is the last book
2) The warning addresses something grander, namely the return of Christ Jesus.To which we are now awaiting and thus say ‘Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.’
Its interesting then that we read at 2 Tim 3:15-17 it says “All scripture is inspired by God and can profitably be used for teaching, for refuting error, for guiding people’s lives and teaching them to be holy. This is how the man who is dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work.”—The Jerusalem Bible.
Looking forward to hearing you thoughts G. And thank you once again;-)
Maureen
Maureen,
Please clarify that when John wrote the book of revelation his task was to write the last book of the bible.
Did he even know that it was going to be added to other books to make the Bible? I highly doubt. I am sure as an old man, he was just writing things that had been revealed to him and not thinking about writing the bible, Jerusalem , TEV or KJV or whatever.
Chris
ps. These are not new commandments but social sins. It is the church's guidance on new forms of sin in modern times. The bible was written long before Bioethics as a word was even coined.
I am sure those social sins violate the ten commandments, if that is what you recommend we should be guided by. Don't forget Jesus' commandment of Love, of God, neighbor and enemy!!
Just my 2 cents
Chris
Take a look at http://www.bloggernews.net/114339 I think this is the best interpretation you can get. It mentions clearly that these are new deadly sins not commandments. We have had another st for centuries already. It is guidance on morality and the Catholic duty to the modern world.
Chris
So, pretty much everyone is going to hell. Including the pope.
Hi Stephanie, you made me lol with the pretty much...
Well judgement belongs NOT to man but to God so, we shall let him decide what happens to whom.
In the mean time we are urged according to John 17:3 'this means everlasting life, knowing you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you sent" we need to know the scriptures and this means serious study.
I had meant to reply Cris but got caught up with time. I take the opportunity to do so now.
@ CHRIS: Tnx for your comment. A nice beggining to the book of Revelation was the fact that old man John stated at Rev 1:1
" A revelation by Jesus Christ which GOD gave him to show his slaves the things that must take place shortly..."
These are not John's words but God's and thus we thus know he was only used as a secretary and yes, God did write it as a FINAL book!
Awaiting your comments
Maureen
PS: Stephanie, did you know that HELL is a greek word, the equivalent is Hades and in English today mankinds common grave??
Just do a google, more research work for you;-)
In the end, the whole world will be deceived..That allows for no exceptions. This is just another attemt of organized religion{all of which is inherently evil} to control the masses. People confuse religion and relationship w/ the Christ. The world would be a better place if it were to abolish ALL organizations professing to speak for The Almighty. It all started with Constantine and the Council...from there on the Truth has been distorted in order to control the flock through deception.
Hi anonymous.
Intresting comment, thank you for it. It does SEEM that the truth is no where to be seen, especially since as you rightly put it, its been distorted for so long and by so many.
The parable of the wheat and the weeds by Jesus however gives great insight into the fact that much as the truth seems smothered, it is still existing and shall once again flourish!
As Christians we thus have to heed Pauls words who said at Hebrews 5:14 "But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong"
Lots of bible study to do;-)
haha the second request! Thou shall not be obscenly rich..wtf?? Correct me if i am mistaken, but besides the major governments of the world, the chuch would have to be the richest organisation in the world. In terms of their assets, that alown could be measured in the trillions! What hipocrites
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