Pope Benedict will resign on February 28

[Stan]

do you think it might be possible that he wanted to step down, because he is 85 years old, and 16 hour days are long for him?

[Paula]

Hey Stan!! I think it is possible that this was due to health. I also think it is possible that it could be due to the scandals facing the church. I am not trying to say that there is a specific reason why this happened. Only that, whether one does or doesn't believe in the interpretation of Rev. 17 as having a macro (Nations), and a Micro (Popes) application, it's still curious that since 1929 when the RCC regained it's Political Power, this is the 7th pope, he stayed "a short time" and didn't die, but is leaving of his own volition. Could it be that we are about to see the 8th and last pope?? Maybe yes, maybe no. But I for one am following this one closely.

[cricket]

do you think it might be possible that he wanted to step down, because he is 85 years old, and 16 hour days are long for him?

Absolutely! I'll take his word for it; if he says the days are long for him, I believe it. My grandmother is doing great for an 89 year old woman, but a 16 hour day work day would really wear her quickly.

[Paula]

Quick question though, how do you know what a 16 hour work day entails for a Pope? I doubt he is in meetings or on his feet for 16 hours a day. Those 16 hours probably include time for meditation, prayer, Bible reading, etc... etc... hardly a 16 hour day. Not only that, but I know an 80 year old salesman who is on his feet for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week at a high end retail store. He gets 1 30 minute break, and 2 15 minute breaks, the rest of the time he is standing. I doubt the Pope's job is THAT physical. Not to mention that his predecessor, Pope John Paul II kept the job despite being much more frail and debilitated than Benedict.

[BobRyan]

do you think it might be possible that he wanted to step down, because he is 85 years old, and 16 hour days are long for him?

It is possible - and yet in cases prior to Pope John Paul II - aged Popes never left the building and pretty much set their own schedules.

Nobody holds a gun to the Pontiff's head and says you must do this meeting today no matter what.

In fact there were times when due to the Pope's health all meetings were canceled for long periods of time in the past.

And the Vatican states clearly that it is not prepared to have an elderly pope retire -- all the papal accomodations for such a thing - are in the Vatican. Popes age and then expire in office "as a rule" this is not some new thing they have to get ready to support. It is like a ALF and SNF all in one (to relate this to regular people) once these Popes get to a certain stage of health.

At least until now.

in Christ,

Bob

[cricket]

Is it possible, then that the Pope is telling the truth? Can we, as Seventh-day Adventists, Christians, um...human beings allow for that?

[Paula]

Here's a Guardian article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/21/pope-retired-amid-gay-bishop-blackmail-inquiry

According to the article the Pope's Spokesperson refused to deny or confirm these reports...

[Stan]

Is it possible, then that the Pope is telling the truth? Can we, as Seventh-day Adventists, Christians, um...human beings allow for that?

Good point...

HOWEVER if people want to make a judgement on him.....

[Paula]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/25/world/europe/vatican-archbishop-resigns/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

It's looking more and more as though the looming scandals really were the reason for his resignation....

[BobRyan]

Ok so that is the key pattern - resign and claim it is for health and age reasons.

Quote:

Rome, Italy (CNN) -- Scotland's Roman Catholic archbishop, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, has resigned amid allegations that he abused four men studying to be priests in the 1980s.

Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation last week, the Vatican said in a statement released Monday.

O'Brien said he submitted his resignation to the pope months ago, citing his upcoming 75th birthday and his health, according to a statement released by the Scottish Catholic Media Office.

in Christ,

Bob

[BobRyan]

Quote:

CNN Senior Vatican Analyst John Allen, also a correspondent with the National Catholic Reporter, suggested in a piece written Friday that unsourced speculation about a shadowy "gay lobby" within the Vatican should be taken with a grain of salt.

But, he said, while he doesn't know for sure if the three cardinals did investigate networks based on sexual orientation, "frankly, it would be a little surprising if they hadn't" -- given past scandals that have become public concerning clergy involved in homosexual activities.

The pope may well have been worn down by the "cumulative impact of the various meltdowns over the last eight years," Allen said.

Even sources speculating in favor of the Pontiff - are covering both of their bases.

[Paula]

Quote:

O'Brien said he submitted his resignation to the pope months ago, citing his upcoming 75th birthday and his health,

I guess age and health are now code for retiring due to scandal...

[hch]

It's looking more and more as though the looming scandals really were the reason for his resignation....

The message of the fall of Babylon is repeated in Revelation 18

Babylon is fallen, is fallen!

And while we hesitate to proclaim the third angel's message, the world is aroused to the fact that Babylon is fallen!

And when there is no replacement for Benedict, they will be more curious. Then when Satan comes as Pope John-Paul II, it will be all the more difficult to do the work that needs to be done in the time remaining to do it.

[joeb]

So we now have God-on-earth emeritus. How did we ever, as a race, get to point where we, or at least a goodly percentage of us, believe we could have a retired God-on-earth? Oh, that's right, we have a Prince-of-this-world who likes nothing better than for the vast majority of us to fall for such a line.

[hch]

On this topic, I am still concerned that our tradition does not fit the facts. ...

Kevin,

Bob Ryan addressed this in the thread:

Did Pope Resign To Avoid Arrest, Seizure of Wealth post #613011

I replied with post #613064. And beyond that we had other exchanges in that category as well.

so no need to rehash what has already been said

[hch]

Should we take the actions of "the beast" at face value? Or should we be skeptical (err on the side of caution) ?

Originally Posted By: cricket

Is it possible, then that the Pope is telling the truth? Can we, as Seventh-day Adventists, Christians, um...human beings allow for that?

Good point...

HOWEVER if people want to make a judgement on him.....

[jamesonofthunder]

Pope Benedict 16 retired in fulfillment of Prophecy.

Benedict 16 was the seventh 'king' since the healing of the head wound that was inflicted on the 'head' of the fallen church in 1798 and healed in 1929.

He retired because the prophecy must be fulfilled that the seventh papal king "must remain a short time".

The fact that he retired puts a specific focus on this point, namely that he must remain after his reign is over which has never before been accomplished by an uncontested pope. So this element to pope Bxvi's reign is prophesied.

We have just seen the fulfillment of prophecy and no one seems to get it.

God told me that the last popes are prophesied in Rev 17 and we are now in the time of the eighth king.I have been inspired to warn the world about this for several years.

After the details God showed me, while investigating all of the elements of the Spirit of Prophecy I found so many things that must occur in the last popes reign and I made assumptions that were wrong but all of the elements still must take place.

I believed this eighth pope would be Satan appearing as an angel of light, but the things that I learned in preparation for the coming of this pope showed how this pope would lead the word into perdition in fulfillment of all the elements in the Spirit of Prophecy. (I will go into greater detail if anyone like)

The eighth king, Pope Francis I, loves the visions of Mary which we know are Satanic apparitions, or Satan appearing as an angel of light. The very first thing this Jesuit pope did after being elected, “The new Pope has called for prayer and his first move was presenting Our Lady with a bouquet of flowers [at Basilica of St Mary Major]." He went to the Cathedral in Rome dedicated to the visions of Mary and asked for a blessing from the priest who Mary has supposedly appeared to over and over.

Another point that illustrates that this eighth pope was prophesied in Rev 17 is the wording of the prophecy.

When we are backed into a corner after following God, He will always show us the way, parting the Red Sea for us if necessary. Here is what our God showed me. Please think about this new information and test the Spirit in this message (thank you Father for your leading, In the name of your Son Jesus, amen.)

After I prayed that day when Francis was elected I did not receive an answer immediately, but my heart was lifted. One hour later, at work, I was listening to a Minnesota Public Radio segment about the new pope. In the broadcast the announcer said something that the Holy Spirit illuminated for me like He always does to answer prayer or teach me. (It is like a light is turned on in these situations and He draws my attention to specific elements that might not have attracted my attention without His influence.) The announcer said “this new pope, who is a Jesuit, was the first to be elected that was not from Europe”. I didn't know why God illuminated this sentence for me so strongly with those two topics in such clarity, but I have learned to trust Him, so I went home and prayerfully investigated. This is what I was shown which lead to an understanding that I didn't know before.

I searched in the Spirit of Prophecy for the word ‘Jesuit’ and my attention was drawn to this statement in the Pioneers library from Elder James White;

“The Jesuits were restored in 1814, by Pope Pius VII.; but not to their persecuting power. In the different countries of Europe since that time the Order has been expelled and restored several times, and even by the Papacy once. But Pius IX., after his return from Gaeta in 1849, gave them its entire confidence till the day of his death, and in his Vatican decrees is seen the crowning triumph of Jesuit Ultramontanism.”

I did not comprehend why God was leading me here, but I was very encouraged in the Spirit to investigate further. Here is the meaning of “Ultramontanism”.

“Ultramontanism; [Latin; beyond the mountains, i.e., the Alps] is a religious philosophy within the Catholic Church that places strong emphasis on the prerogatives and powers of the Pope. In particular, ultramontanism consists in asserting the superiority of Papal authority over the authority of local temporal or spiritual hierarchies. The term originates in ecclesiastical language from the Middle Ages when a non-Italian man was elected to the papacy, he was said to be papa ultramontano, that is, a Pope from beyond the mountains (referring to the Alps).

This pope is the first Jesuit pope, and he is the first ever to be elected from outside of Europe; he is from South America, from way beyond the mountains of Europe!

This is what our Father wanted to draw my attention to that day listening to that interview, and if I had not been praying and listening I may not have learned this.

Now this is where it gets very interesting friends.

The bible quote that my heart was yearning for the interpretation of these past six years is Revelation chapter 17 verses 9-11. When having difficulty making sense of a certain text, I always go to ‘Young’s literal Translation’ because they translate scripture directly without much restructuring to accommodate the English language, so it is less interpretive.

Here is the Young’s Literal Translation of Revelation 17; 9-11.

9 ‘Here [is] the mind that is having wisdom; the seven heads are seven mountains, upon which the woman doth sit,

10 and there are seven kings, the five did fall, and the one is, the other did not yet come, and when he may come, it behoveth him to remain a little time;

11 and the beast that was, and is not, he also is eighth, and out of the seven he is, and to destruction he doth go away.

This pope was elected not from Italy where the seven mountains of Rome are, and not from Europe where the Alps are, but he is from Beyond the mountains of Europe; or ‘Ultramonta’.

The beast that was and has not been since the Dark ages is now here again. The head wound is fully healed and the power of that beast is now fully restored because the Jesuits have not only been restored but they are now in charge of the beast with a very charismatic man at their head. Kissing the feet of prisoners and taking every opportunity to kiss children with disabilities. Claiming he is "only a man" but he still wears the triple tiered crown of Satan.

[jamesonofthunder]

Another point is that the oath Jesuits take at their induction ceremony is to be "perinde ac cadaver", as 'disciplined as a corpse'. A dead body to be carried at the will of the pontiff.

God has shown our prophet Mrs White that the two great issues of the last days will be the state of the dead and sunday sacredness.

The Jesuit order is centralized on the worship of Mary and the headquarters of the society is consecrated under the patronage of Madonna Della Strada, a title of the Virgin Mary. The first place this pope went after he was elected was to visit the shrine of Madonna Della Strada.

They worship Mary who is dead through Satan appearing as an angel of light in the form of Mary. This pope will lead the world into perdition by these apparitions. Satan appearing as an angel of light.

This next quote is from Early Writings in the middle of a chapter about a satanic attempt to deceive the people of Earth by the dead appearing to come back from heaven to speak to us. Try to keep that in mind while reading it in context. This is one of the best visions Mrs. White had to warn us what will happen in the last days. She was told that we need to be prepared for this delusion.

‘I saw the rapidity with which this delusion (ghosts) was spreading. A train of cars was shown me, going with the speed of lightning. The angel bade me look carefully. I fixed my eyes upon the train. It seemed that the whole world was on board, that there could not be one left. Said the angel, "They are binding in bundles ready to burn." Then he showed me the conductor, who appeared like a stately, fair person, whom all the passengers looked up to and reverenced. (The Pope) I was perplexed and asked my attending angel who it was. He said, "It is Satan. He is the conductor in the form of an angel of light. He has taken the world captive. They are given over to strong delusions, to believe a lie, that they may be damned. This agent, the next highest in order to him, is the engineer, and other of his agents are employed in different offices as he may need them, and they are all going with lightning speed to perdition”.’ Early Writings (1882), page 89

Notice how in this vision it was Satan appearing like a ‘stately fair person’ that the ‘whole world looked up to and reverenced’. Before this vision Mrs. White had seen Jesus many times, so if Satan was appearing in the form of Jesus she would have seen it.

It is not a false appearing of Jesus that people here are in reverence to, it is someone who the whole world reveres appearing to come from God as an angel of light.

He leads them “with lightning speed to perdition”. The eighth king in Revelation chapter 17 is also said to lead the world “into perdition” . This vision of Mrs White's was warning us about the grand satanic delusion that the whole world will be deceived by, initiated by the eighth papal king, the son of perdition.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 (KJV) “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

The first use of the term "Son of Perdition" in scripture was for Satan, then Judas, but in Rev 17 it is specifically aimed at the 8th successor of Papal Rome after the head wound begins to be healed in 1929.

"The “man of sin,” which is also styled the “mystery of iniquity,” the “son of perdition,” and “that wicked,” represents the papacy..." {Great Controversy 88 356.2}

[hch]

Originally Posted By: cricket

Is it possible, then that the Pope is telling the truth? Can we, as Seventh-day Adventists, Christians, um...human beings allow for that?

Good point...

HOWEVER if people want to make a judgement on him.....