Thursday, April 14, 2005

The Pope and End Of Times Revelation

I want to talk about the Pope, although I hesitate to even bring up a subject that I have already grown so weary of hearing about after so long. And yet, there are many more days of around the clock coverage to come. What am I talking about? The death of Pope John Paul II. You can't turn on the television to any news station or open any newspaper without non-stop information about Pope John Paul II – his life, his accomplishments, his death, the transfer of his body, his funeral plans, etc., etc. Every detail of his final hours was reported with meticulous, minute-by-minute updates. The media is bombarding the airwaves with attention to this story unlike anything I have seen in my life. Huge headlines in every paper across the nation announced his death. It will continue to be front page news for many more days.

As I see what's happening, it makes me wonder why? Why the unprecedented coverage for this event? Obviously, Pope John Paul II was an influential, charismatic leader who undoubtedly accomplished many good things for the world. He was the human leader of the world's hundreds of millions of Catholics. But is there more to it than that?

It seems to me that the veneration of the Pope by many people, aided by the 24/7 media blitz is nothing short of deification. Clearly, we should all appreciate anyone that stands for justice and mercy and uses his or her influence to make our world a better place. It is both good and right to honor such a life. But what I have witnessed goes way over the top.

As the Pope lay dying, I heard a new commentator ask a Catholic representative how people should pray for the pope. The man responded, "Maybe it's time we stopped praying for the pope and started praying to him." The Pope is always referred to as "the Holy Father." Many people are acting like the whole world has stopped since he died. Like we have no one left to provide any leadership. After his death, the most common question for people who knew the Pope or met him was something like, "What was it like just to be in his presence." The question itself suggests that just being near him was a life-changing experience. While the answers vary in details, the reply usually mentions an unbelievable feeling the person had just being near him. People were overwhelmed just to be in his presence. In the end times the Bible says that a man will come on the world scene who will rise quickly to world dominance on a platform of peace, security, and safety. That person of course is the Antichrist. The whole world will follow after him. And what we see happening this past week is a mild foreshadow of what's coming. It's paving the way for this kind of response.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Catholic dogma teaches that the Pope is a god. For Roman Catholics the Pope is the Vicar or representative of Christ on earth. I'm also not saying that this Pope, or any Pope, is the Antichrist. What I am doing is drawing a parallel or comparison. If the Pope, who stood for world peace and justice for all, can be treated by many in the world like a god when he dies, what will they do for a man who actually brings world peace, performs astounding miracles, and dies and comes back to life? (Dan 9:27; 1 Thess. 5:1-2; Rev. 6:1-2; Rev. 13:3, 11-14). Add in the non-stop worldwide media coverage we have today saturating the airwaves, and it's pretty easy to see how the world will worship a man as god just as the Bible predicts.

Think abou it.

my little corner of the world


Back to BLOG!

HI all!

I am back from a LONG break from Blogging so here I am once again, to restart my passion and relit my interest in what started off as a online journal. (Refer to my old history and my PIONEER as a Blogger even before Blogging became mainstream or http://web.singnet.com.sg/~jatrav/)

Anyway, tis sad to start off because I have learnt that a church friend of mine has passed away. Yes, suddenly without warning at all. He's around my age and if that's not something to cry about, he just got married in Feb 05. You ask how you come to terms with such sudden departure and the answer is the same: that our Almighty God is always in control and that we should always put our trusts in Him no matter our circumstances in life. =0)


On a lighter note, read what's happening in Sesame Street:-

"Something must be wrong in the land of Muppets. First, the producers announced that Sesame Street would kick off its latest (its 36th) season with a story about healthy habits. No problem there; childhood obesity rates are soaring.

But then my Sesame Street world turned upside-down. The beloved blue, furry monster who sang "C is for cookie, that's good enough for me", is now advocating eating healthy.

There's a new song, A Cookie is a Sometimes Food, in which Cookie Monster learns there are "anytime" foods and "sometimes" foods.

"Sacrilege!" I cried.

Why did the Cookie Monster need a health makeover?

The first place I headed was the internet. On the Sesame Street website, little had changed. There was Cookie Monster in all his blue furriness. He was holding a plate of cookies. He was chomping on a cookie. He looked the same. But looks can be deceiving.

So I searched the site for news on Cookie Monster and up popped a press release about the show's new "healthy habits for life" emphasis.

Buried near the bottom was one-sentence about Cookie Monster eating fewer cookies. But what did that mean? Scarfing one plateful instead of two?

I picked up the telephone. "What's going on with Cookie Monster?" I asked the Sesame Street press office. "Why are you doing this?"

They sent me to Rosemarie Truglio, the show's vice-president of research and education. She says the show is now focusing on emotional and physical health along with teaching numbers and letters.

With the rise in childhood obesity, Truglio says, Sesame Street is concentrating on the need to teach children about healthy foods and physical activity. This season, each episode opens with a "health tip" about nutrition, exercise, hygiene and rest.

Even guest stars will address healthy activities - Alicia Keys will be talking and singing about the importance of physical activity.

Cookie Monster was not available for comment.

"We are not putting him on a diet," says Truglio. "And we would never take the position of no sugar. We're teaching him moderation."

The furry one also plans to try different kinds of cookies (read: healthier cookies) rather than his staple, chocolate chip.

But will he still scarf his food? Yes, plus the occasional object, Truglio says.

But isn't that unhealthy? "He's still Cookie Monster."

So there it is.

Cookie Monster still gobbles cookies, but they're healthier cookies. So he's allowed to be his old self, sometimes.

His eyes are still googly, his fur is still scruffy and he's still messy. Even Sesame Street recognises that we all need guilty pleasures."


Interesting yah? Anyways, at work now, should be working, not blogging.

Take care all!

my little corner of the world
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Name: Eugene


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Email: eugene_ang@hotmail.com (MSN) You can try sending stuff, but it would probably end up in the junk mail folder.



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