Wolves Within

Photo Title: Religion Overthrows Heresy And Hate

It seems that there are Catholics here in the United States, as well as in Canada, Europe, Australia, and throughout the world who have come to their own conclusion about Catholicism. Yes, conclusion in the singular. Because in reality, it is one singular belief that many are following, and that is, that anything they think the Church should be holds clout, and anything that is taught by the Church is up for debate, or perhaps more truthfully, up for total dismissal.

We are constantly reading stories in the press about individuals or groups that are in total opposition to one or more of Church teaching's or doctrine. Once again, they fall into the incorrect supposition that the Church is a democracy, and even believe, that they are more Catholic than the Church! These people and groups of people are Catholic in name only, what I call CINO (pronounced as see-no). You might be surprised to find out just who these CINO's are, and what they believe...or don't believe for that matter. Every parish, every diocese, every nation where Catholic's live and practice their faith have CINO's within.

Take for instance the group of women (a Swiss woman and three American women) who were recently “ordained” as Roman Catholic “priests” by “one of three Catholic women bishops”, Dr. Patricia Fresen (who is called a nun in the story on All Africa.com, who obtained a doctorate in liberation theology). There is a word for these women. That word is heretics. In every sense of the word. In regard to the Swiss woman we are told in a story on NZZ: “Monika Wyss, a divorced mother of four, feels she has the right to become a priest even though she will probably be excommunicated”. As well she should be excommunicated, along with the “bishop” who “ordained” these women. When asked about the possibility of excommunication Ms. Wyss stated "I will still be a Roman Catholic, but I will no longer be accepted by the Church," she said. "I have no chance of getting a job within the Church with my ideas, so in real terms, it makes no difference for me." Definitely a bunch of CINO's there, and although she calls herself Roman Catholic, she isn't.

Then we have a story related to us from Australia, in regards to the prayer of a Catholic priest there. It seems that a few years ago, when Pope John Paul II was still living and his health was beginning to get worse, there was a priest leading a retreat. This priest in his prayer, prayed for the death of the Holy Father, and that the new Holy Father would allow women in the priesthood. My only regret in sharing this story with all of you is that I don't know what the priest's name is, or where his parish is, so that the whole world could know. I don't understand how anyone who calls themselves Christian could pray for the death of another, especially one who is a priest who would pray for the death of the Holy Father. Another CINO no less. Complete with habit and collar! That priest is best described in this passage from the gospel according to Matthew 7:15--Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. He may call himself a Catholic priest, but, there are two things he is not. He is neither Catholic or a priest. He has betrayed both.

So, why do these people do these things? Why, because nothing in the world is as important to themselves as themselves. They are the epitome of the “me generation”. The teachings of the Church, the teachings and Traditions of the Apostles means absolutely nothing to them. Now, take Ms.Wyss for instance. Just how many divorced Catholic priests do you know? It seems that the alleged “priest” and the alleged “bishop” don't fool around when they throw out Church Tradition and Holy Scripture. No sir (or should I say no ma'am?), when they dismiss it, they dismiss it all. Forget Saint Paul's instruction that a bishop, priest and deacon be sober, chaste and the husband of only one wife. Do they think that doesn't count either? In scripture it says in 1 Timothy 3:2-- It behoveth therefore a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behaviour, chaste, given to hospitality, a teacher, 3 Not given to wine, no striker, but modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous, but 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity. 5 But if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Maybe they think it doesn't count since Ms. Wyss never had a wife, but, had a husband instead. All Catholics know that matrimony itself is a Sacrament and is a vocation. If Ms.Wyss couldn't fulfill the requirements of that vocation and that Sacrament, what make her think herself capable of being a priest? The fact that she is a woman was already one indication she isn't capable. The fact that she is divorced removes all doubt of her being capable. This proves that absolutely nothing in the Magisterium, nothing in the Traditions of the Church, nothing within all of Christianity is sacred, holy or hallowed by this “priest” the “bishop” or the other woman “priests”. All are proven CINO's. Their's is not a struggle for equality, no for them the priesthood is a seen as a source of power, and not one of service. This is for them, for “self” and to get them, to get “self” noticed.

So, these are just a couple of examples of the CINO's who are scattered throughout the world. Others are those who call themselves Catholic and support such things as abortion, euthanasia, and same sex marriage just to name a few things that are close to the hearts of CINO's. These people are the anti-Catholics of today. They point their fingers at the Church and those of us who follow the Church, and call us “intolerant”. They are under the mistaken impression that because what they believe is outside of Church teaching, that therefore God changes because they do, and then they call us “unchristian” when we point out the truth that God and His law never changes.

They think that the world will still see them as Catholic. They are not. The day they turned their back on the Magisterium, the day they turned their back on the Church, the day they began to think themselves more Catholic than the Church, is the day when they ceased being Catholic. And please, don't bother adding comments to this post proclaiming these heretics as Catholic, because if you consider yourself Catholic, and you see these blatant heretics as Catholic then you also have thrown your faith away. You have turned your back on Christ's Church, and you have joined the CINO's. As if being CINO is something anyone should desire to be.

2 Timothy 4:3 For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears: 4 And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables.

Copyright © 2006 Steve Smith. All Rights Reserved.


Catholic
Religion
Roman Catholic
Catholic Church
Catholic Blogs

The Da Vinci Hoax-Faux Catholics Exposed!

In many respects some Catholics are the Churches biggest enemies. When many Catholics disregard what the Pope says on various issues, when these same Catholics disregard what Church officials say about different issues and also relegate to the bin the Teachings, Traditions and the profound words of our martyrs and Saints, then what do these 'catholics' believe? Anything it seems so long as it is NOT Catholic!

There is the belief that persecution of the Faithful means either loss of life or the fear of losing one's life because of what they believe, and outside of that there is no persecution. In one perspective they are right, there are many Christians who are being martyred right now as we sit in our comfortable homes and sigh about these terrible atrocities. The persecution of Christians in China, North Korea, Palestinian persecution of Christians and the list goes on, and it is right that we should feel outrage about these atrocities, but what about the subtle persecution of the Catholic Church in our own countries? Do many even recognise the devil knocking at their door, or are they too busy reading the 'Da Vinci Code' as they allow their children to devour the latest 'Harry Potter' book?

Every time there is a Christian celebration whether it be Christmas or Easter we face the same diabolical attacks, which try and diminish or outright ban anything which has 'Christian' connotations so that a minority won't be offended! Yet every Christmas many Catholics join in the subtle attack on our Faith by reducing 'Merry Christmas' to the more lukewarm and politically acceptable 'Happy Holidays'! If you're thinking, 'but this is not so'! Then ask yourself one question, what did YOU say last Christmas?

What I would like to confront is the issue of "de-christianizing" Christianity, and why many Catholics are buying into it? If these groups of people and organizations don't believe in God, then why ban something which they think is little more than a 'fairy tale', is there a move to ban all books written by Hans Christian Anderson? Of course not, for these very organizations KNOW that Anderson wrote exactly that... fairytales. Why then do they have a frenzy if God's name is mentioned in prayer, or on government buildings and money? Why you may ask? Because they understand that God exists they simply wish to extinguish God from memory, unfortunately many Catholics are helping them in this diabolical endeavor!

It is time that Catholics woke up and realise that just because a gun is not pointed to their heads, that persecution doesn't exist within their own cultures. They need to smell the coffee and realise that persecution does not always equate to physical violence, there is persecution of the senses. As Catholics we are being assaulted everyday the only difference being is that the messenger has changed, instead of receiving a bullet we are being attacked by different media outlets, albeit the TV, cinema, internet or books. The terrible calamity here is that many Catholics are the first to buy or watch programs and books that the Vatican has denounced! How can this be, are we not good Catholics? If you buy blasphemous books or movies that denigrate our essential beliefs, then NO you are NOT a good Catholic! As St Theophilus of Antioch wrote, "if I call Him(God) Fire, I but mention His anger. You will say, then, to me, "Is God angry?" Yes; He is angry with those who act wickedly, but He is good, and kind, and merciful, to those who love and fear Him; for He is a chastener of the godly, and father of the righteous; but he is a judge and punisher of the impious."

Living life as a devout Catholic does not only mean we must make sure to say our morning prayer and our evening prayer and attend Mass on weekends, that is merely going through the motions what an insult to God! Living as a Catholic is to live what we believe daily, it is to practice the corporal works of mercy, to pray from the heart to God, to attend Mass in a spirit of Awe and to partake of the Sacraments with full knowledge a worshipful spirit and a clean intent. Being Catholic also means speaking up for the Faith when it is under attack, unfortunately in this sphere too many 'Catholics' are sleeping! As the Bible tells us when Jesus says, "But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" The question remains, will He?

It seems hating Catholics is the latest sport of choice and too many times the main applause is from 'Catholics' themselves as our Faith is defamed and denigrated daily! When the Catholic Church advises parents not to allow their children to read the cultish 'Harry Potter books, how many defied the Church's stance? How much sniggering was going on behind Closed doors as 'Catholics' ran out to buy the latest book from J. K. Rowling as if the author was more wise than the Church. Let us look at what the then Cardinal Ratzinger said about these 'harmless' books, "It is good, that you (Gabriele Kuby) enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly." One may think but this is not a Dogma or an Encyclical, do we disregard what one of the Church's great theologians thinks of this pervasive and subtle attack on our youth?

We also have cartoons which blaspheme our Holy Mother, the Mother of God, will Jesus find it amusing? It also insults our Holy Father. How many 'pseudo catholics' are giggling about this? As they tune into each revolting episode, will your Faith be uplifted and enlightened by watching this blasphemous and derogatory programe?

In recent years there have been many films depicting the life of Christ, one being 'The Last Temptation of Christ', the Vatican condemned this movie and requested that Catholics boycott that film which was and is an assault on our Faith, yet how many Catholics rushed to see it? Here is what the writer of that movie had to say about the Gospels, "The Gospels were rigged for political reasons from the get-go. They were written 30-40 years after the fact to curry favour with the Romans and separate the Christians from the Jews. So the Pharisees were made to seem much worse than they were and Pilate was shown to be more agonized." So the Holy Spirit is now a 'politician'? Anyone who saw that movie is a fool to themselves as they applaud their sophistication, and a disgrace to the Catholic Church!

Now many pseudo catholics are rushing out to buy the heretical and blasphemous book 'The Da Vinci Code' just so they wont be thought 'backward', who are they trying to impress with their 'enlightened' attitude for it is certainly not God! Why is this film creating such a scandal? Because it IS a scandal! When a book conveys the thought that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a sexual relationship which then produced children what does this suggest about Jesus Divinity, can God have sex with one of His creatures? Yet from many 'catholics' there is NO outrage about the NOT so subtle attack on what we should hold dear to us and that is the Teachings of the Catholic Church and its Traditions. Yet many say 'but it's only fiction' then why is the author Dan Brown suggesting that much of it is fact? Dan Brown states that Jesus was not Divine but an ordinary man and it was only in 325 A.D that Jesus was opined as Divine by Emperor Constantine. If this is the case, who then did St Paul see in his vision on the road to Damascus, Casper the ghost? I am sure that theory will be in Dan Brown's next book!

The major point to all this is not that Dan Brown wrote a blasphemous book which attacks our Faith, but that so many 'catholics' are supporting him in his heretical writings. What is the motivating force behind this level of acceptance of what is heresy, blasphemy and apostasy by catholics? This is THE decider, are catholics buying this book for purely entertainment purposes even though many Vatican officials have condemned it or could it be that they are buying it out of a spirit of rebellion?

The book 'The Da Vinci Code' is a hotch botch of indiscriminate material based mainly on the gnostic gospels rather then THE Gospels..what made Dan Brown choose to elicit most of his erroneous story from these outlawed gnostic gospels could he not handle the truth? Or maybe the Truth doesn't sell well, so he preferred scandal and lies over Divine Truth! If Dan Brown made this choice with money as a motivating principle, then what is the motivation of many catholics who have raced out to buy the book and wait with eager anticipation to see this blaspheme reproduced on the big screen? As Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said recently about the reason for so many 'catholics' buying this book, "there is the strategy of persuasion: You are not an adult Christian if you don't read this book." Are many Catholics so infantile and puerile that they fall for the Hollywood spin machine? Have they really lost all meaning to what Faith actually means? Did our Great Martyrs die for nothing?

Faith does not mean that one believes in God's existance, after all, Satan too believes in God's existance. Authentic Faith is to live out the Credo of what we believe everyday and to denounce that which tears away at our fundamental beliefs, as Saint Louis IX wrote, "You must firmly believe all of the articles of faith given as testimony by the apostles as you hear them sung each Sunday in the Credo!" Another great Saint of the Church, Augustine also wrote, "If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself."

We are growing up in an age where prayer in schools have been banned so there is a new generation in our world who do not know the Lords Prayer, they do not know who Jesus is, they have never read the Bible nor attended Church. The younger generation of which I speak WILL believe what Dan Brown is espousing as 'truth'. The real threat of this book is not that Catholics will turn away from the Faith, those who promote this heretical book have already done so! It is the fact that a new generation will be influenced by what they read...Catholics need to be less myopic and look at the wider ramifications, sometimes it's not all about 'them' and their 'freedom of expression' it could mean a loss of a whole generation who do NOT know God, but they will believe that what Dan Brown has written as fact!

As Catholics we are here to spread the Good News as it IS and not your version of it, and we are most definately NOT here to promote old heresies dressed up in new coats. Is it a case that many pseudo catholics are actually too embarrassed to live their faith less they be thought as 'old fashioned and a fuddy duddy' and would rather live as outlaws to the Faith rather than live it for they are ashamed that Jesus could be so backward as to make Commandments for us to live by? Let us remind ourselves what Scripture says about this, "Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." When we gleefully clutch hold of the forbidden how far removed are we from our first parents?

Such authors as Dan Brown must be laughing all the way to the bank to think his badly written piece of heretical nonsense has gained such an audience amongst many 'liberal minded catholics' as they like Esau exchange their inheritance for a bowl of dribble!

The Western media is too frightened to say a word against the Muslim religion, as Salman Rushdie remains in hiding and no news papers will print blasphemous books or pictures of their prophet Mohammed, since the Danish incident. Yet many Catholics who are speaking out against this heretical and blasphemous book face attack and the most vicious attacks from amongst their own faith!

We have witnessed what has happened within the fold of many secular religions when they try and impose their liberal philosophy of 'anything goes' onto their own parishioners. The end result being that many dissaffected parishioners have left the fold and have been embraced by the Churches who follow Gods Commandments and recognise sin for what it is SIN and not a 'life choice'!

As many Catholics choose to remain asleep the persecution gathers strength, and if you wish to know IF there is persecution then denounce the Da Vinci Code both in book and movie form and you will find out soon enough! Look to the time when we near the end of the year as Christmas approaches and the 'Happy Holidays' season begins, what will you choose to say?

When you fail to recognise the wolf within your midst, maybe that is because you have become one!

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

MTV's Popetown...Adding to His Stripes

More Anti-Christian Programming

MTV has joined with Comedy Central, The New York Times, ABC News, and other media outlets in disparaging Christianity in general, and Catholicism in particular. MTV is planning to air a program in Germany called "Popetown". This animated series, was created by the BBC, yet was not aired by the BBC in Britain as it was deemed too offensive. It has previously been shown on TV only in New Zealand, and are also on DVD.

This series, will be shown to MTV viewers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and is causing outrage among both German Catholics and Protestants. The series, starting May 3, depicts a fat, bratty figure as the pope, who bounces around the Vatican on a pogo stick, surrounded by corrupt cardinals. The cartoon's website, describes it as being set in a place "where money, power and corruption are the name of the game and everybody is playing".

"We call on all Christians in Germany to join our call that the series 'Popetown' should not be shown," the Central Committee of German Catholics said, calling it "an outrageous provocation".

The Central Committee of German Catholics was also outraged by an advertisement for the series which appeared just before Easter, that depicted a smiling Christ with a crown of thorns sitting in an armchair in front of an empty cross with the slogan, "Laugh instead of hanging around". The ad was pulled by MTV only after the German Advertising Standards issued a public rebuke and accused MTV of religious insensibility. MTV rejects that allegation and plans to to air the series as scheduled.

Tuesday Joachim Herrmann, a senior official with the Christian Social Union party said he has filed a complaint with prosecutors accusing MTV of disparaging Christianity. Hermann said it was inappropriate for MTV to run such magazine ads, and, "Ten days before Easter, it was a particular provocation."

The Catholic initiative "Never Again" is threatening legal action against MTV, and the Christian newspaper "Verse 1" has started a boycott campaign online (German language only). Evangelicals have joined the protest as well. Andreas Spaeth, chairman of the Association for Bible and Confession in Bavaria, is concerned that the media should be allowed to mock the Christian faith while treating Islam with great caution and consideration in similar circumstances. The Protestant Churches and the Roman Catholic Church each have close to 26 million members in Germany, nearly two thirds of the total population of 82 million.

The creators say despite its irreverence, the cartoon is not intended to offend anyone. Its website says: "Sure, it is a place where assembly lines flatten small balls of dough with mallets, transforming them into holy wafers. But 'Popetown' is not about the Vatican; it is about the hierarchy and bureaucracy in any company." Producer Alan Marke states, "religion never comes up at all in any of the scripts, we're just poking fun at any organization".

Not offensive to anyone? Any organization? Have these people been in a drawing room too long, lost touch with reality, or been smelling too much ink? That organization they are "poking fun at", is the one BILLION member Roman Catholic Church! I must say, that I have to agree with Mr. Spaeth, in his assessment that it is fine with the media to mock and belittle Christianity, while Islam is treated with kid gloves. Look at the New York Times for instance.

They made a big deal proclaiming how they would not publish the "offensive" cartoons depicting Mohammad that caused all the unrest around the world. Yet, in that very same issue, they published a picture of the Virgin Mary covered in elephant dung. The caption for the photo: Chris Ofili's "Holy Virgin Mary" was at the center of controversy when shown at the Brooklyn Museum in 1999. Yes, those brave, upstanding champions of freedom and particularly freedom of the press, don't want to offend anyone of the Islamic faith, but, hey, it's freedom of speech if they print photos that offended Christians from seven years ago.

Comedy Central has gone out of its way with South Park to offend Christians, yet they also see no offense. They have repeatedly said there was no offensive intent towards any group or individuals. How can a cartoon showing Jesus defecating on the American flag and President Bush, be deemed by anyone as inoffensive?

If our Christian leaders, placed a price on the heads of the creators of these programs, as was done to Salman Rushdie by such Islamic leaders as Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, they would all go underground. If Christians strapped bombs to themselves, and began blowing themselves up in these companies headquarters and offices, they'd all get quiet in a hurry. We know though, and more importantly, they know, that we would never undertake such actions, because that would go entirely against Christianity and all it is. In other words, they are all a bunch of knee-banging cowards.

I think it is time we take another look at MTV, Comedy Central, The New York Times, and the rest of those companies that have no qualms against disparaging Christianity. Keep in mind, that in this age of "political correctness", that the only group that it is deemed acceptable to disparage, to demean, and to belittle, are Christians and the Christian faith. If Christians are shown as bumbling idiots on "The Simpsons", hey, that's OK...if The New York Times wants to publish photos of a feces covered Virgin Mary, that's just freedom of the press and freedom of speech...if ABC News wants to show a special on "The DaVinci Code" and present it as "fact" (someone failed to tell them it's a work of fiction, Elizabeth Vargas said, "it was fascinating to read it and think, "Wait a second, this can't possibly be true--or could this be?"), that's just "asking the tough questions".

Now, MTV is owned by Viacom, which also owns among others, VH-1, BET,CMT, and Comedy Central. We, should stand in solidarity with our Christian brothers and sisters, Protestant and Catholic in Germany, and make Viacom, MTV, and Comedy Central all well aware of our displeasure over their treatment and disrespect to Christians and the Christian faith. Call or email Viacom to express in a Christian manner your disgust with their companies treatment of Christians and the Christian faith. Click here for contact info for Viacom and MTV, and click here for Comedy Centrals viewer feedback form.

John 15:20-23 20 Remember my word that I said to you: The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for my name's sake: because they know not him who sent me. 22 If I had not come, and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He that hateth me, hateth my Father also.

Copyright © 2006 Steve Smith. All Rights Reserved.

Catholic
Religion
Roman Catholic
Catholic Church
Christianity
Popetown

Gospel of Judas

Gospel of Judas?

Or Text of Deceit?

Well, now the National Geographic has finally shown their television production about the “Gospel of Judas”, and it seems to me anyway, that the people who produced this program, and those “experts” who commented on this program, seem to have missed, either intentionally or negligently, many points regarding Gnosticism as a belief system, on the four Gospels of The Holy Bible, and on Saint Irenaeus as well as the Catholic Church as a whole.

Once again, one is led to believe that there was a great conspiracy within the Church to hide, destroy, and discredit the Gnostic “Gospels”, including The Gospel of Judas. They paint a picture of the Church as an institution bent on “control” of Christians by the priests and bishops. They continually missed the truth, that Gnostics were not Christian (they continually referred to them as “Gnostic Christians”), and that Gnosticism in and of itself most definitely was not a form of Christianity. One “expert” even suggested that the term Gnostic was essentially used to dismiss this “belief system” just as the word communist was used to dismiss that system of government in the twentieth century.

Gnosticism, essentially, was a system of belief, that borrowed a bit from Christianity, a bit from Judaism, and then mixed these with the beliefs of pantheistic sects. There are some scholars, who even believe that it was Gnosticism that John was mentioning in 1 John 4. Gnosticism comes from the Greek word “gnosis” which means “knowledge”. In general, Gnostics taught and believed that salvation was obtained only through special knowledge (gnosis). Gnostics believed, that the unknowable God was far too pure and perfect to have anything to do with creation which was considered evil. The Gnostics taught that God generated lesser divinities, and that one of these was Wisdom that desired to know the unknowable God, and that out of this mistaken desire, the “demiurge” an evil god was formed, and that this evil god created the universe and all in it. He, along with beings called archons kept all men and women in bondage in material matter (their bodies) and tried to prevent pure spirit souls from ascending back to God after their deaths. Since Gnostics taught that as matter is evil, deliverance from matter (the physical body) was attainable only through special knowledge (gnosis) revealed by special Gnostic teachers, and further, that Jesus was the divine redeemer who came from the spiritual realm to reveal this special knowledge necessary for this “redemption”. In essence, they held a dualistic system of belief, that is, there is good and evil, spirit and matter, light and darkness, dualism in the universe. Evil was hostile to good, matter was hostile to spirit, and the universe was held to be a depravation of the Deity. Now, please explain to me, how that could even be remotely considered Christianity or a form of it? The Gnostics even saw the serpent in the Garden of Eden as being good as opposed to being evil, because the serpent enabled man to obtain knowledge (not forgetting that gnosis means “knowledge”), and yet we Christians know, that this rebellion against God, is what led to man's fall from Grace.

They repeatedly stated that the four Gospels were written between 60 and 100 A.D., which is what most scholars agree, but, from writings I have read, they are erroneous in their assertion that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were all dead by 100 A.D., and did not write the Gospels that bear their names. First, was The Gospel of Saint Mark around 58-60 A.D., most likely written for Gentile converts, while Mark was with Saint Peter in Rome. The second, was The Gospel of Saint Matthew, written sometime after The Gospel of Saint Mark, because it is apparent that it draws some of its material from Mark, and from what some scholars refer to as “Q”, which was a large body of material (primarily the sayings of Jesus) which although not found in Mark corresponds, almost exactly to material in The Gospel of Saint Luke. In addition to the material that Matthew obtained from both Mark and “Q”, his Gospel contains material found only there, most likely written or oral tradition available to him. This indicates Matthew was written sometime after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans (which is referred to in Matthew 22:7) which occurred around 70 A.D., thus, giving us the time period of 70-80 A.D. as the approximate time of the writing of Matthew's Gospel. Saint Luke was a companion of Saint Paul on his missions, and Saint Paul mentions him several times in his epistles, and in his last epistle, 2 Timothy, he tells Timothy all have deserted him and that “only Luke remains with me” (2 Timothy 4:11). Saint Paul referring to Luke's presence, was during the time of his second trial in Rome, at which he was eventually put to death during the persecutions of Nero around 64-65 A.D. Paul often speaks of “my gospel” in his writings, and many scholars believe that to have actually been The Gospel of Saint Luke. Luke wrote his Gospel, based on the teachings of Paul, other Apostles, talks with other Christians and his own experiences. He also, like the Gospel of Matthew, used material from Mark and “Q”. John was the only one of the Apostles to have died “at a great age”, with general consensus being that he died around 104 A.D. at Ephesus in modern day Turkey. We know that he wrote Apocalypse (Revelations) during or just after his exile on the island Patmos. That John lived to such an advanced age, can be confirmed as two of his disciples, Saint Ignatius of Antioch and Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, both became very prominent early leaders of the Church. Saint Ignatius was martyred around 107 A.D., approximately 3 years after the death of Saint John, and Saint Polycarp also was martyred around 152-155 A.D., at the age of 86. John apparently wrote his Gospel, The Gospel of John sometime after 96 A.D. We know from the writing of Saint Irenaeus, that Saint Polycarp knew well Saint John, other Apostles, and others “who had seen the Lord”.

Then, we have the treatise of books, “Against Heresies” written by Saint Irenaeus of Lyons around 180 A.D. The writers of this National Geographic Society program called Irenaeus a man who “railed” against the Gnostics, and the “Gospel” of Judas. To “rail” against something, is, according to the dictionary, “to express objections or criticisms in bitter, harsh, or abusive language”. Now, I don't know what they read that has given them that idea from Saint Irenaeus' writing, but, what he said was far from abusive, far from bitter, and far from harsh. Although people often don't like to hear or read the truth, and often see the truth as bitter, harsh, or abusive, especially when their errors are proven, and they themselves are exposed as being wrong.

Saint Irenaeus, came to Lyons from Asia Minor, and was a priest at Lyons. Around 177-178 A.D., he was chosen by Saint Pothinus, bishop of Lyons, to embark on a journey to Rome to deliver a letter to Pope Eleutherius urging him to deal firmly with the Montanist heretics in Phyrgia, as heresy was then rampant in the East. While he was gone, there was a terrible persecution of Christians in Lyons, during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, in which many priests, and the bishop, Saint Pothinus were martyred. Saint Irenaeus upon returning, was appointed to the then vacant bishopric. Saint Irenaeus was very aware (as were all Christians) of the persecution of the Church by the Romans well before his ascent to the bishopric in Lyons. The persecution in Lyons was over when he returned, and the twenty plus years of his episcopate were fairly peaceful. Saint Irenaeus was greatly distressed by so many being seduced by the teachings of the Gnostics, which was then spreading throughout Gaul and elsewhere. He began to carefully study each of the tenets of Gnosticism, which was not easy, as each Gnostic teacher added his own ideas. He was, Tertullian tells us, "a curious explorer of all kinds of learning," and the task interested him. Irenaeus was not “attacking the competition” as this program called it, but, he was instructing about the truth of Jesus Christ throughout the scriptures, throughout the teachings of the Apostles, and to point out the absurdity and falseness of Gnosticism and its “gospels”. He proved decisively that following Gnosticism and not the true Christian faith endangered the eternal soul. Irenaeus realized that Gnostic “gospels” like the “Gospel of Judas” were creations of and by the Gnostics themselves to attempt to gain legitimacy and acceptance of their “special knowledge” (gnosis). Saint Irenaeus did not decide himself what books were canonical and which were not, but, he did show, that “the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New”. By him citing the Four Gospels, as the Pillars of the Truth, he was saying that the Gospels of Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are centered on Christ, and not centered on the writers of, and the “special knowledge” of, some fallacious “gospel” as are all the Gnostic “gospels”.

Further, there seems to be some very glaring points that are being continually missed. This program repeatedly implies, that Jesus and Judas had a special friendship, and that Jesus shared “special knowledge” with the disciple Judas, and not with the other 11 Apostles. Now, we know of Saint Peter's Confession about Jesus, when he told the Lord, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), and Jesus then said to Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father” (Matthew 16:17). So since Jesus was obedient to the Father, and was doing the will of the Father, why would He reveal “special knowledge” to Judas, and not to Peter, who was chosen by God to receive this revelation of who Jesus is? Secondly, why would Jesus ask Judas to betray Him? Why would Jesus imply to Judas that heaven awaited him, if he would betray Jesus so that he could “be released”? That would be akin to asking someone to kill you as in assisted suicide, or a mercy killing. Lastly, as we know that Judas hung himself after he betrayed Jesus there are three points to consider:

1. If he had been asked to betray Jesus and did so, why would he feel remorse for doing so and hang himself, as he had done what he was supposedly asked to do?
2. If Jesus had shared “special knowledge” with Judas only, and since Judas did die shortly after the betrayal and arrest of Jesus, who would have known what he was told and then be able to write it in a “gospel”?
3. We are told by Saint Paul, that doing evil for the sake of good coming from it, is never just, and is deserving of damnation (Romans 3:8).

There was also the part, when Jesus was supposed to have “laughed” when the Apostles were piously saying a Blessing over bread and wine. Since Jesus did establish well before the Last Supper that He is the “bread of life”, and that “whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has Eternal Life”(John 6: 22-59), He most certainly would not have laughed at such an event! The declaration regarding His Flesh and Blood to the crowd at Capernaum is where Judas began to fall away.

Lastly, the so-called “Gospel of Judas” also implies what many make a mistake about when it comes to Judas and his betrayal of Jesus Christ. Many think, and this “gospel” implies, that Judas was “chosen”, even created to betray the Lord, to do evil unto him. We can prove that incorrect notion wrong by these assertions:

1. God is all good.
2. Because God is all good, God cannot create evil.
3. All people have free will, given to them by God, which allows them to choose to sin, or to choose not to sin.
4. At no point, did, or has, God taken away the free will of Judas or any other person, alive or dead.
5. Judas did believe in Jesus for awhile, as Judas was among the twelve sent out to heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach the Kingdom of God in Jesus' name (Mark 3:13-19).

Judas, is even best exemplified in the parable of the sower. Some seed fell on rocky ground with little soil, sprang up fast because their was little soil, and then withered away because of lacking roots when the sun rose (Mark 4: 1-9). This was Judas, he heard the Word, he believed the Word for awhile, and then he withered away, as he lacked the "roots" of faith to flourish. As my priest taught us, Judas shook hands with Satan, and Satan held on, and pulled him in.

Don't allow the “Gospel of Judas” or any of the other Gnostic “gospels” to be used by Satan to take you by the hand, and pull you in.

Copyright © 2006 Steve Smith. All Rights Reserved.