JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
A FALSE PROPHET COMES FROM THE VATICAN ALSO AT THIS TIME.
ISAIAH 23:15-17
15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.(COULD THIS BE 70 YEARS AFTER ISRAEL BECAME A NATION IN 1948)(IF SO THIS SATANIC ONE WORLD WHORE CHURCH WILL MINGLE TOGETHER BY 2018)(AND NOW ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY AND ALL RELIGIONS ARE MINGLING AS ONE PEACE-LOVE-JOY-GET ALONG RELIGION LEAD BY THE VATICAN RIGHT NOW 4 YEARS FROM THE 70 YEAR TIME WHEN ISRAEL BECAME A NATION).AND IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM.
REVELATION 13:11-18
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM
REVELATION 17:1-18
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen,(1-ASSYRIA,2-EGYPT,3-BABYLON,4-MEDO-PERSIA,5-GREECE) and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS AND JESUS DAY-6-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.(7TH-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE OR THE EUROPEAN UNION TODAY AND THE SHORT SPACE IS-THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL HAVE WORLD CONTROL FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS.BUT WILL HAVE ITS MIGHTY WORLD POWER FOR THE FULL 7 YEARS OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THE WORLD DICTATOR WILL BE THE BEAST FROM THE EU.AND THE VATICAN POPE WILL BE THE WHORE THAT RIDES THE EUROPEAN UNION TO POWER.AND THE 2 EUROPEAN UNION POWER FREAKS WILL CONTROL AND DECIEVE THE WHOLE EARTH INTO THEIR DESTRUCTION.IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.YOU WILL BE DECIEVED BY THESE TWO.THE WORLD POLITICIAN-THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR.AND THE FALSE PROPHET THAT DEFECTS CHRISTIANITY-THE FALSE VATICAN POPE.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
06/17/2015-The “green” encyclical: Saving creation without exploiting mankind-In the “Laudato Si’” encyclical, Pope Francis shows a great attention for environmental movements but explains that one cannot fight to save plants and animals on the one hand but then justify abortion or embryo manipulation on the other-ANDREA TORNIELLI
vatican city-The great openness Francis shows toward environmental movements in his “Laudato Si’” encyclical, is not at all unconditional. On the contrary. In several pages of the new document – which inextricably links the environmental and ecological issue to the social issue – Pope Francis clearly points out the contradiction of those who consider humans to be the “cancer” of the planet, battling against genetic modification and experimentation on animals, while at the same justifying abortion and experimentation on and genetic modification of living human embryos, taking a great interest in whales but not in immigrants, refugees and those dying of hunger and thirst.“The natural environment has been gravely damaged by our irresponsible behaviour. The social environment has also suffered damage. Both are ultimately due to the same evil: the notion that there are no indisputable truths to guide our lives and hence human freedom is limitless”, Francis explains at the start of his encyclical.Francis contests the popular theories about the drop in birth rates. “Instead of resolving the problems of the poor and thinking of how the world can be different, some can only propose a reduction in the birth rate. At times, developing countries face forms of international pressure which make economic assistance contingent on certain policies of “reproductive health”.” Referring to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Pope Francis explains that “demographic growth is fully compatible with an integral and shared development”. “To blame population growth instead of an extreme and selective consumerism on the part of some, is one way of refusing to face the issues. It is an attempt to legitimize the present model of distribution, where a minority believes that it has the right to consume in a way which can never be universalized, since the planet could not even contain the waste products of such consumption. Besides, we know that approximately a third of all food produced is discarded, and “whenever food is thrown out it is as if were stolen from the table of the poor”.The Pope mentions the theory put forward by those who consider mankind to be the disease of the planet in the paragraph where he presents the various positions on this issue: “At the other extreme are those who view men and women and all their interventions as no more than a threat, jeopardizing the global ecosystem”.Francis urges people “not to put all living beings on the same level nor to deprive human beings of their unique worth and the tremendous responsibility it entails”. “At times”, the Pope observes, “we see an obsession with denying any preeminence to the human person; more zeal is shown in protecting other species than in defending the dignity which all human beings share in equal measure… But we should be particularly indignant at the enormous inequalities in our midst.”“A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings. It is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking, unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted. This compromises the very meaning of our struggle for the sake of the environment.”The Pope continues, underlining that “when we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities – to offer just a few examples – it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself” because “everything is connected”.Indeed, he added, “our relationship with the environment can never be isolated from our relationship with others and with God. Otherwise, it would be nothing more than romantic individualism dressed up in ecological garb, locking us into a stifling immanence”.In one of the paragraphs of the encyclical, Francis reiterates - as he did in the Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” - his rejection of abortion: “Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion. How can we really teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable beings, however annoying or inconvenient they may be, if we fail to protect a human embryo, even when its presence is uncomfortable and creates difficulties?”The Pope stresses the contradiction of a hardline defence of the environment on the one hand and the failure to defend human beings on the other:“On the other hand, it is troubling that, when certain ecological movements defend the integrity of the environment, rightly demanding that certain limits be imposed on scientific research, they sometimes fail to apply those same principles to human life. There is a tendency to justify transgressing all boundaries when experimentation is carried out on living human embryos. We forget that the inalienable worth of a human person transcends his or her degree of development. When technology disregards the great ethical principles, it ends up considering any practice whatsoever as licit.”Francis sees creation through the lens of human ecology, as a gift. He warns against theories that stamp out sexual difference: “Also, valuing one’s own body in its femininity or masculinity is necessary if I am going to be able to recognize myself in an encounter with someone who is different. In this way we can joyfully accept the specific gifts of another man or woman, the work of God the creator, and find mutual enrichment. It is not a healthy attitude which would seek “to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it”.“Human ecology is inseparable from the notion of the common good”, Francis explains and “underlying the principle of the common good is respect for the human person as such, endowed with basic and inalienable rights ordered to his or her integral development. It has also to do with the overall welfare of society and the development of a variety of intermediate groups, in application of the principle of subsidiarity. Outstanding among those groups is the family, as the basic cell of society”. The family is “the place in which life – the gift of God – can be properly welcomed and protected against the many attacks to which it is exposed, and can develop in accordance with what constitutes authentic human growth”.For Francis, an attention to life, to the “inalienable” value of every human being, is evidently an essential condition for an approach that truly respects nature and the environment.
06/17/2015 -vatican insider-Pope Francis’ encyclical: This “wounded world” needs “an ecological conversion”-"The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth"The “Laudato Si’” encyclical says: we have grown up believing that we have the right to plunder the planet at our will. The environmental crisis is an anthropological crisis and is liked to our development model: the structural causes of an economy that does not respect mankind need to be eliminated. Pope Francis’ encyclical is an appeal to governments and institutions and a proposal for new ways of living. The defence of nature is not compatible with abortion and embryo experimentation. For the first time ever, a papal encyclical quotes a Sufi mystic, Ali Al-Khawwas-andrea tornielli
vatican city-The Mother Earth, our common home, “cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will.” We need an “ecological conversion”. Safeguarding our planet must go hand in hand with ensuring justice for the poor and a solution to the structural problems of an economy, the sole focus of which is profit.Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’”, a 246-paragraph-long document divided into six chapters, is a new contribution to the Church’s social doctrine, bringing humans face to face with their responsibilities. This articulate text, which goes into great detail at certain points, makes ample reference to the documents of many bishops’ conferences and does not just address Christians but “every person living on this planet”. Francis reiterates the words of his predecessors, urging people to “eliminate[e] the structural causes of the dysfunctions of the world economy and correc[t] models of growth which have proved incapable of ensuring respect for the environment”.After mentioning the contribution of “the beloved Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew”, who has spoken of “the need for each of us to repent of the ways we have harmed the planet”, Pope Francis’ text proposes St. Francis’ model, which teaches us “just how inseparable is the bond between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace”. Francis appeals for “universal solidarity”, in order to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development”.“Our (polluted) home”The Pope addresses the pollution issue: “Atmospheric pollutants” which “caus[e] millions of premature deaths”, particularly among the poorest; pollution caused by industrial fumes and landfill sites, pesticides and waste in general. “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.”Francis explains how “a very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system” mostly due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases. “Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming”. The Pope mentions the melting of the polar ice caps and the loss of tropical forests. The “worst impact will probably be felt by developing countries in coming decades”. Hence, “there is an urgent need to develop policies so that, in the next few years, the emission of of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases can be drastically reduced”.Francis goes on to address the issue of the depletion of natural resources, recalling that “it is not possible to sustain the present level of consumption in the developed countries”. He speaks about “water poverty” which “especially affects Africa”. Regarding the tendency “to privatize this resource, turning it into a commodity subject to the laws of the market”, Francis stresses that “access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right”. The encyclical then looks at the loss of biodiversity. Among those places that “need greater protection because of their immense importance for the global ecosystem”, Francis mentions “those richly biodiverse lungs of our planet which are the Amazon and the Congo basins, or the great aquifers and glaciers”. He urges the world not to “overlook the huge global economic interests which, under the guise of protecting them, can undermine the sovereignty of individual nations”.The Pope speaks about the deterioration in the quality of human life and social degradation, seen for example, in “the disproportionate and unruly growth of many cities, which have become unhealthy to live in”, both because of pollution and urban chaos. Francis invites people to reflect on “global inequality”, recalling that “the human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together”, affecting the most vulnerable. “One often has the impression” that these “problems are brought up as an afterthought”. The Pope stresses, therefore, that “a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor”.
“A reduction in the birth rate” - which is even sought through "international pressure" on "developing countries" - is not the solution, the Pope warns. A true “ecological debt” exists between the global north and south: “The warming caused by huge consumption on the part of some rich countries has repercussions on the poorest areas of the world”. “The developed countries ought to help pay this debt by significantly limiting their consumption of nonrenewable energy and by assisting poorer countries to support policies and programmes of sustainable development.” “The poorest areas and countries”, on the other hand, “are less capable of adopting new models for reducing environmental impact”.These situations call for a change of course, for the “establishment of a legal framework which can set clear boundaries and ensure the protection of ecosystems”. Francis denounces “the weak international political responses” seen so far. “There are too many special interests, and economic interests easily end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their own plans will not be affected,” he adds.“Economic powers continue to justify the current global system, where priority tends to be given to speculation and the pursuit of financial gain”. Today, we see that “whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenceless before the interests of a deified market, which become the only rule”. The Pope foresees that “once certain resources have been depleted, the scene will be set for new wars, albeit under the guise of noble claims”. Politics must pay greater attention but “powerful financial interests prove most resistant to this effort”.The Pope recognises the diversity of opinion on the situation and possible solutions. He mentions two extremes: those who claim that “ecological problems will solve themselves simply with the simple application of new technology and without any need for ethical considerations or deep change” and those who believe that “men and women and all their interventions as no more than a threat, jeopardizing the global ecosystem, and consequently the presence of human beings on the planet should be reduced”. “On many concrete questions, the Church has no reason to offer a definitive opinion”. “But”, he adds, “we need only take a frank look at the facts to see that our common home is falling into serious disrepair”.
The Gospel of creation
In the second chapter, Francis invites people to consider what the Bible teaches about creation and recalls that “science and religion, with their distinctive approaches to understanding reality, can enter into an intense dialogue fruitful for both” and that in order to resolve problems, “respect must also be shown for the various cultural riches of different peoples, their art and poetry, their interior life and spirituality”. “The Bible teaches that every man and woman is created out of love and made in God’s image and likeness.” “We are not God. The earth was here before us and it has been given to us,” Francis writes, reiterating that when the Genesis says that man is granted “dominion over the earth”, this does not mean he must embark on an “unbridled exploitation of nature”. We are called then to recognise that “every creature is thus the object of the Father’s tenderness”. The Church’s action not only seeks to remind humans of the need to take care of nature, but at the same time “she must above all protect mankind from self-destruction”.The Pope urges against “put[ting] all living beings on the same level” and a “divinization” of the earth. Francis criticises those who show more zeal “in protecting other species than in defending the dignity which all human beings share in equal measure”. “It is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking, unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted. This compromises the very meaning of our struggle for the sake of the environment.”
A crisis caused by mankind
In the third chapter of the “Laudato Si’” encyclical, the Pope underlines the “human roots” of the ecological crisis, focusing on “the dominant technocratic paradigm”. Science and Technology “are wonderful products of a God-given human creativity”, however, “it must also be recognized that nuclear energy, biotechnology, information technology, knowledge of our DNA, and so many other abilities which we have acquired, have given us tremendous power”. In fact, “they have given those with the knowledge, and especially the economic resources to use them, an impressive dominance over the whole of humanity and the entire world”. “It is extremely risky for a small part of humanity to have it.”"The economy accepts every advance in technology with a view to profit… Finance overwhelms the real economy. The lessons of the global financial crisis have not been assimilated, and we are learning all too slowly the lessons of environmental deterioration. Some circles maintain that current economics and technology will solve all environmental problems” just as they argue“that the problems of global hunger and poverty will be resolved simply by market growth”. “Yet by itself the market cannot guarantee integral human development and social inclusion.”In the face of all this, in ecological culture “there needs to be a distinctive way of looking at things, a way of thinking, policies, an educational programme, a lifestyle and a spirituality which together generate resistance to the assault of the technocratic paradigm”. “All of this shows the urgent need for us to move forward in a bold cultural revolution… Nobody is suggesting a return to the Stone Age, but we do need to slow down and look at reality in a different way.”“When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities – to offer just a few examples – it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself. Everything is connected.” Furthermore, “concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion”. The culture of relativism “is the same disorder which drives one person to take advantage of another, to treat others as mere objects…It is also the mindset of those who say: Let us allow the invisible forces of the market to regulate the economy.” Without objective truths and firm principles, political programmes and laws are not sufficient “to prevent actions which affect the environment”, because “when culture itself is corrupt” laws will merely be seen as “arbitrary impositions or obstacles to be avoided”.Francis then discusses the need to defend human work, which must not be replaced as a result of technological progress. “The broader objective should always be to allow them a dignified life through work.” Francis recalls that “civil authorities have the right and duty to adopt clear and firm measures in support of small producers and differentiated production” and in order “to ensure an economic freedom from which all can effectively benefit, restraints occasionally have to be imposed on those possessing greater resources and financial power”.With regard to biological innovation, the Pope shows prudence in the paragraphs dedicated to genetic modification, stating “it is difficult to make a general judgement about genetic modification (GM)”. The Pope recalls that “genetic mutations, in fact, have often been, and continue to be, caused by nature itself. Nor are mutations caused by human intervention a modern phenomenon.” He recognises that the use of GM cereals “in some regions” “has brought about economic growth which has helped to resolve problems”. But, he adds, “there remain a number of significant difficulties which should not be underestimated”, such as “productive land [being] concentrated in the hands of a few owners” and “an expansion of oligopolies for the production of cereals and other products needed for their cultivation”. “A broad, responsible scientific and social debate needs to take place, one capable of considering all the available information”. Just as “troubling” is the fact that “certain ecological movements defend the integrity of the environment, rightly demanding that certain limits be imposed on scientific research”, while at the same time justifying “experimentation” “on living human embryos”.
Striving for an integral ecology
In the fourth chapter of the encyclical, Francis reiterates the importance of an integral approach to combat poverty while caring for nature at the same time. “The analysis of environmental problems cannot be separated from the analysis of human, family, workrelated and urban contexts, and of how individuals relate to themselves”. The Pope talks about a “social ecology”, recalling that “a number of countries have a relatively low level of institutional effectiveness, which results in greater problems for their people”, while a “lack of respect for the law is becoming more common”. Even when there are environmental laws in place, these are not Always implemented. Francis then speaks about “cultural ecology” and calls for attention to be shown to local cultures. He warned against “attempt[ing] to resolve all problems through uniform regulations” and explained “the need to respect the rights of peoples and cultures”, because the “imposition of a dominant lifestyle linked to a single form of production can be just as harmful as the altering of ecosystems”.The Pope praises the “creativity and generosity” of “persons and groups who respond to environmental limitations by alleviating the adverse effects of their surroundings and learning to live productively amid disorder and uncertainty”. He gives examples relating to cities: those who design buildings, neighbourhoods, public spaces and cities, should serve “people’s quality of life, their adaptation to the environment, encounter and mutual assistance”, listening to the views of locals. Francis mentioned the problem of transport, urban traffic pollution, the priority that should be given to public transport but public transport systems - which need to be improved – “in many cities force people to put up with undignified conditions due to crowding, inconvenience, infrequent service and lack of safety”.A genuine human ecology means “valuing one’s own body in its femininity or masculinity”. “It is not” therefore “a healthy attitude which would seek “to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it”. The notion of the “common good” is inseparable from human ecology. The “common good” requires “respect for the human person as such, endowed with basic and inalienable rights”, taking into account the development of intermediate groups, starting with the family.
What action to take
In the fifth chapter of “Laudato Si’”, Francis says a “global consensus is essential” as it could lead to “planning a sustainable and diversified agriculture, developing renewable and less polluting forms of energy”. The Pope states that “technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels” “needs to be progressively and replaced without delay”. He observes that “politics and business have been slow to react” and that “recent World Summits on the environment have failed to live up to expectations”. With regard to climate change and the reduction of greenhouse gases, advances “have been regrettably few” also “due to positions taken by countries which place their national interests above the global common good”. The Pope warns against certain strategies for lowering pollutant gas emissions that penalize poor countries with “burdensome commitments to reducing emissions”, creating a new injustice “under the guise of a certain commitment to the environment”.Francis therefore mentions the “weakening of the power of nation states, chiefly because the economic and financial sectors, being transnational, tends to prevail over the political” calling for “stronger and more efficiently organized international institutions, with functionaries who are appointed fairly by agreement among national governments, and empowered to impose sanctions”. Meanwhile, every state must oversee its territory and encourage best practices.Francis analyses the policies of governments, which, in response to electoral interests are “reluctant to upset the public with measures which could affect the level of consumption”. He refers to the development of cooperatives that exploit “renewable sources of energy which ensure local self-sufficiency” as a positive example, expressing the hope that non-governmental organizations and intermediate bodies in society will play a more prominent role. The Pope also writes that environmental impact assessment “should be part of the process from the beginning” in any plan or programme. “The local population should have a special place at the table; they are concerned about their own future and that of their children”.Francis recalls that “politics must not be subject to the economy, nor should the economy be subject to the dictates of an efficiency-driven paradigm of technocracy”. “Saving banks at any cost, making the public pay the price, foregoing a firm commitment to reviewing and reforming the entire system, only reaffirms the absolute power of a financial system, a power which has no future and will only give rise to new crises”. Francis invites us “to reject a magical conception of the market which would suggest that problems can be solved simply by an increase in the profits of companies or individuals”. “Given the insatiable and irresponsible growth produced over many decades, we need also to think of containing growth by setting some reasonable limits”, “accept[ing] decreased growth in some parts of the world”, “provid[ing] resources for other places to experience healthy growth”. Francis observes that “the principle of the maximization of profits, frequently isolated from other considerations, reflects a misunderstanding of the very nature of the economy” and that today, “some economic sectors exercise more power than states themselves”. He goes on to highlight the important role of “religions” in the solution of economic, social and environmental problems.
An ecological spirituality
In the final chapter of the encyclical, Francis invites people to aim towards a different lifestyle in order to avoid being overcome by “compulsive consumerism” which is “one example of how the techno-economic paradigm affects individuals”. “That paradigm leads people to believe that they are free as long as they have the supposed freedom to consume” when in actual fact, “those really free are the minority who wield economic and financial power”. “Obsession with a consumerist lifestyle, above all when few people are capable of maintaining it, can only lead to violence and mutual destruction.”But the Pope invites people to look at the positive side and the possibility all humans have to “choos[e] again what is good”. He recalled that “a change in lifestyle could bring healthy pressure to bear on those who wield political, economic and social power”. “This is what consumer movements accomplish by boycotting certain products. They prove successful in changing the environmental footprint and their patterns of production.”“An awareness of the gravity of today’s cultural and ecological crisis must be translated into new habits.” “We are faced with an educational challenge.” And we have to start with small day-to-day choices. The Pope mentions the educational role of the family, which teaches how to care for creation and about the correct use of things. And while “political institutions and various other social groups are also entrusted with helping to raise people’s awareness”, so too is the Church: Francis’ hope is that seminaries and houses of formation will provide an “education in responsible simplicity of life”.The Pope calls for an “ecological conversion” that recognises that “the world is God’s loving gift”. Christian spirituality “encourages a prophetic and contemplative lifestyle, one capable of deep enjoyment free of the obsession with consumption”. “Christian spirituality proposes a growth marked by moderation and the capacity to be happy with little.” Integral ecology requires “an attitude of the heart, one which approaches life with serene attentiveness”. For example, Francis suggests “stop[ping] and giv[ing] thanks to God before and after meals”, inviting people to learn how to contemplate the “mystical meaning” that is “to be found in a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person’s face”. It is here that the Islamic spiritual writer Ali al-Khawas is quoted in a footnote, for the first time ever in a papal encyclical. The Pope concludes his encyclical by proposing two prayers, one “for our earth” and one “in union with creation”.
READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE ENCYCLICAL
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
06/18/2015-vatican insider-Metropolitan Zizioulas: “Laudato Si’ is an occasion of great joy and satisfaction for the Orthodox”-Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon-Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon’s address for the launch of Pope Francis’ ecology encyclical Laudato Si’. At the presentation which took place in the New Synod Hall in the Vatican this morning, the Metropilitan, acting as representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew, communicated the Patriarch’s “personal joy and satisfaction” for the issuing of the encyclical-Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon
vatican city
Introduction
I should like to begin by expressing my deep gratitude for the honour to be invited to take part in this event of launching the new Encyclical of His Holiness Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’. I am also honoured by the fact that His All-Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, has asked me to convey to you his personal joy and satisfaction for the issuing of the Encyclical. As some of you may already know, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been the first one in the Christian world to draw the attention of the world community to the seriousness of the ecological problem and the duty of the Church to voice its concern and try to contribute with all the spiritual means at its disposal towards the protection of our natural environment. Thus, back already in the year 1989, Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios issued an Encyclical to the faithful Christians and to all people of good will, in which he underlined the seriousness of the ecological problem and its theological and spiritual dimensions. This was followed by a series of activities, such as international conferences of religious leaders and scientific experts, as well as seminars for young people, Church ministers etc. under the auspices of the present Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, aiming at the promotion of an ecological consciousness among the Christians in particular and more widely in the community of men and women.The issuing of the Encyclical Laudato Si’ is, therefore, an occasion of great joy and satisfaction for the Orthodox. On behalf of them I should like to express our deep gratitude to His Holiness for raising his authoritative voice to draw the attention of the world to the urgent need to protect God’s creation from the damage we humans inflict on it with our behavior towards nature. This Encyclical comes at a critical moment in human history and will undoubtedly have a worldwide effect on people’s consciousness.Those who read the Encyclical will be impressed by the depth and the thoroughness with which the ecological problem is treated and its seriousness is brought out, together with concrete suggestions and proposals on how to act in order to face its consequences. There is in its pages food for thought for all: the scientist, the economist, the sociologist and above all the faithful of the Church. My own comments will be limited to the richness of theological thought and spirituality of the Encyclical. Time and space prevent me from doing full justice to the treatment of these aspects. I shall limit myself to the following points:
a) The theological significance of ecology;
b) The spiritual dimension of the ecological problem; and
c) The ecumenical significance of the Encyclical.
1. Theology and Ecology
What does ecology have to do with theology? In the traditional manuals of theology, there is hardly any place for ecology and the same is true for the academic curricula of the theological schools, Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. The Encyclical devotes a whole chapter (ch. 2) to show the profound ecological implications of the Christian doctrine of creation. It points out that according to the Bible “human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships with God, with our neighbor and with the earth itself” (par. 66). This third relationship, i.e. with the earth, has been very often ignored by Christian theology to such an extent that the American historian Lynn White, in a now famous article in the periodical Scientist (1967), would accuse Christian theology for being responsible for the modern ecological crisis. For it is true that in Christian theology the human being has been so exalted above material creation as to allow humans to treat it as material for the satisfaction of their needs and desires. The human being has been de-naturalized and in its abuse and misuse of the biblical command to the first human couple – “increase and multiply and subdue the earth” (Gen. 1.28) – humanity was encouraged to exploit the material creation unrestrictedly with no respect for its integrity and even sacredness.This attitude to creation did not only lead to a misuse of the biblical doctrine but at the same time contradicted fundamental principles of Christian faith. One of them is the faith in the Incarnation of Christ. In assuming human nature, the Son of God took over material creation in its entirety. Christ came to save the whole creation through the Incarnation, not only humanity; for according to St. Paul (Rom. 8.23) “the whole creation groans in travail and is suffering” awaiting its salvation through humanity.The other fundamental principle of Christian faith that has important ecological implications relates to the very heart of the Church, which is the Holy Eucharist. In the celebration of the Eucharist, the Church offers to God the material world in the form of the bread and the wine. In this Sacrament space, time and matter are sanctified; they are lifted up to the Creator with thankfulness as His gifts to us; creation is solemnly declared as God’s gift, and human beings instead of proprietors of creation act as its priests, who lift it up to the holiness of the divine life. This brings to mind the moving words of St. Francis of Assisi with which the Encyclical opens: “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth.” As St. Gregory Palamas and other Greek Fathers would put it, the whole of creation is permeated by God’s presence through His divine energies; everything declares God’s glory, as the Psalmist says, and the human being leads this cosmic chorus of glorification to the Creator as the priest of creation. This way of understanding the place and mission of humanity in creation is common to both Eastern and Western Christian tradition, and is of particular importance for the cultivation of an ecological ethos.
2. The Spiritual Dimension
As it emerges clearly from the Encyclical, the ecological crisis is essentially a spiritual problem. The proper relationship between humanity and the earth or its natural environment has been broken with the Fall both outwardly and within us, and this rupture is sin. The Church must now introduce in its teaching about sin the sin against the environment, the ecological sin. Repentance must be extended to cover also the damage we do to nature both as individuals and as societies. This must be brought to the conscience of every Christian who cares for his or her salvation.The rupture of the proper relationship between humanity and nature is due to the rise of individualism in our culture. The pursuit of individual happiness has been made into an ideal in our time. Ecological sin is due to human greed which blinds men and women to the point of ignoring and disregarding the basic truth that the happiness of the individual depends on its relationship with the rest of human beings. There is a social dimension in ecology which the Encyclical brings out with clarity. The ecological crisis goes hand in hand with the spread of social injustice. We cannot face successfully the one without dealing with the other.Ecological sin is a sin not only against God but also against our neighbor. And it is a sin not only against the other of our own time but also – and this is serious – against the future generations. By destroying our planet in order to satisfy our greed for happiness, we bequeath to the future generations a world damaged beyond repair with all the negative consequences that this will have for their lives. We must act, therefore, responsibly towards our children and those who will succeed us in this life.All this calls for what we may describe as an ecological asceticism. It is noteworthy that the great figures of the Christian ascetical tradition were all sensitive towards the suffering of all creatures. The equivalent of a St. Francis of Assisi is abundantly present in the monastic tradition of the East. There are accounts of the lives of the desert saints which present the ascetic as weeping for the suffering or death of every creature and as leading a peaceful and friendly co-existence even with the beasts. This is not romanticism. It springs from a loving heart and the conviction that between the natural world and ourselves there is an organic unity and interdependence that makes us share a common fate just as we have the same Creator.Asceticism is an unpleasant idea in our present culture, which measures happiness and progress with the increase of capital and consumption. It would be unrealistic to expect our societies to adopt asceticism in the way St. Francis and the Desert Fathers of the East experienced it. But the spirit and the ethos of asceticism can and must be adopted if our planet is to survive. Restraint in the consumption of natural resources is a realistic attitude and ways must be found to put a limit to the immense waste of natural materials. Technology and science must devote their efforts to such a task. There is a great deal of inspiration and help that can be drawn from the Encyclical itself in this respect.Finally, spirituality must penetrate our ecological ethos through prayer. The Encyclical offers some beautiful examples of how to pray for the protection of God’s creation. From the prayers cited at the end of the Encyclical, I find the following extract moving:
O God, bring healing to our lives,that we may protect the world and not prey on it-that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.Touch the hearts-of those who look only for gain-at the expense of the poor of the earth.Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,to be filled with awe and contemplation,to recognize that we are profoundly united-with every creature-as we journey towards your infinite light.At this point I should like to mention that the Ecumenical Patriarchate decided as early as 1989 to devote the 1st of September of each year to praying for the environment. This date is according to the Orthodox liturgical calendar, going back to the Byzantine times, the first day of the ecclesiastical year. The liturgical service of the day includes prayers for creation and the Ecumenical Patriarchate commissioned a contemporary hymnographer from Mount Athos to compose special hymns for that day. The 1st of September each year is now devoted by the Orthodox to the environment. Might this not become a date for such prayer for all Christians? This would mark a step towards further closeness among them.This brings me to my last comment on the Papal Encyclical, namely its ecumenical significance.
3. The Ecumenical Significance of the Encyclical
There are in my view three dimensions to ecumenism. The first we may call ecumenism in time, an expression frequently used by one of the greatest Orthodox theologians of the last century, the late Fr. Georges Florovsky. By this we mean the effort of the divided Christians to unite on the basis of their common Tradition, the teaching of the Bible and the Church Fathers. This is the object of the theological dialogues which are taking place in the Ecumenical Movement of our time and it seems to be the predominant form of ecumenism.At the same time an ecumenism in space is also practiced through various international institutions, such as the World Council of Churches and similar ecumenical bodies which bring together the divided Christians so that the different cultural contexts in which they live may be taken into consideration in the search for unity. This has brought together Christians from Asia, America, Europe, Latin America etc – an expression of the universality of the Christian Church.To these two dimensions which have dominated the ecumenical scene for the last hundred years we must add, I think, a third one which is usually neglected, namely what I would call an existential ecumenism. By that I mean the effort to face together the most profound existential problems that preoccupy humanity in its entirety – not simply in particular places or classes of people. Ecology is without doubt the most obvious candidate in this case.I believe that the significance of the Papal Encyclical Laudato Si’ is not limited to the subject of ecology as such. I see in it an important ecumenical dimension in that it brings the divided Christians before a common task which they must face together. We live at a time when fundamental existential problems overwhelm our traditional divisions and relativize them almost to the point of extinction. Look, for example, at what is happening today in the Middle East: do those who persecute the Christians ask them to which Church or Confession they belong? Christian unity in such cases is de facto realized by persecution and blood – an ecumenism of martyrdom.The threat posed to us by the ecological crisis similarly bypasses or transcends our traditional divisions. The danger facing our common home, the planet in which we live, is described in the Encyclical in a way leaving no doubt about the existential risk we are confronted with. This risk is common to all of us regardless of our ecclesiastical or confessional identities. Equally common must be our effort to prevent the catastrophic consequences of the present situation. Pope Francis’ Encyclical is a call to unity – unity in prayer for the environment, in the same Gospel of creation, in the conversion of our hearts and our lifestyles to respect and love everyone and everything given to us by God. We are thankful for that.
06/17/2015-vatican insider-Pope Francis’ “Summa Ecologica”: Back to reality-A young girl in a landfill site-Following the “green thread” of the environmental crisis, the Pope launches a tenacious global criticism of the development model that is pushing the world towards the cliff of self-destruction. And suggests possible remedies-Gianni Valente
vatican city-Pope Francis’ “Laudato Si’” is more than “just” an ecological encyclical. Following the “green thread” of the environmental issue, looking at its most far-reaching implications, what the Bishop of Rome has actually done is design a tenacious global criticism of the development model that is pushing mankind and the world towards the cliff of self-destruction. The ecological emergency is the face of today's social question. A breeding ground for all the infections that are tormenting people and nations. Generations and continents.
An apology of critical thinking
The over two-hundred-page-long papal text takes the reader on a journey through contaminated algae and aquifers, through coral reefs and invasive air-conditioners. But the leverage point of the Pope’s message is the objective statement about the unsustainability of the world management model imposed by a new market globalisation. Pope Francis writes that “there are regions now at high risk and, aside from all doomsday predictions, the present world system is certainly unsustainable from a number of points of view”. In doing so he grasps and describes the oft-concealed links between financial crises and biblical migrations of populations, geopolitical upheavals and world wars fought “piecemeal”; wars which resulted from a desire to gain control of non-renewable energy sources because “the world’s problems cannot be analysed or explained in isolation”. Francis’ reflections are in many cases not a look at future scenarios but the description of a “future” that has already begun. For example, he makes the easy prediction that “once certain resources have been depleted, the scene will be set for new wars, albeit under the guise of noble claims”.
“Technocratic” greed
Essentially what Francis says, is that the destruction of creation is rooted in the grabbing culture that is a part of the human condition which is marked by original sin and also conditions the frantic workings of a market-driven globalisation. Francis sees all the manifestations of this conditioning, manifestations which lead to global destruction: from the fight between multinational companies for control of drinking water sources to fishing activities which selectively plunders species from seas on the basis of their sale price. In the environmental disaster that threatens the world, the blind fever corrupting the entire system reaches a breaking point that is visible to all, because everyone – regardless of attempts to conceal the facts through the manipulation of the media which show subservience to economic and financial power blocs – will feel the effects of self-destruction on their own skin in one way or another. Said effects stem from production and consumption models that are gradually engulfing the entire planet. For the generations that are experiencing this historic phase, the blind impulse to accumulate has such devastating effects because for the first time in history it can use the murderous instruments made available today by “the new power structures based on the techno-economic paradigm”. This power has no limits and cannot be contained by a weak international political reaction. “The failure of global summits on the environment make plain that our politics are subject to technology and finance”, Francis points out. “There are too many special interests, and economic interests easily end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their own plans will not be affected”.
Back to reality
Pope Francis’ critique of the self-destructive processes set in motion by the pursuit of an “immediat[e] benefit from sales” driven by the laws of a “deified” market, does not stem from a romantic idealism or the nostalgic dream of a trip back in time and a return to pre-industrial ways of life. His considerations are based on a respect for reality, for what is given to us, something which the delirium of technocratic omnipotence continuously seeks to abuse. The ecological problem stems precisely from the fact that there is a way of understanding life and human action which contradicts reality to the point of ruining it. The whole text is based on realism and respect for the principle of reality in the face of objective facts that mark the human condition, starting with the recognition of the limits of the world and its resources. The Pope has sprinkled the entire text with effective antidotes to the unquestioning belief in the “technocratic paradigm” and its well paid champions. Following in the footsteps of Romano Guardini, an author he is fond of, the Argentinian Pope speaks out against the limits of modern anthropocentrism which has “ended up prizing technical thought over reality since the technological mind sees nature as an insensate order, as a cold body of facts”. “Men and women have constantly intervened in nature,” Francis recalled, “but for a long time this meant being in tune with and respecting the possibilities offered by the things themselves. It was a matter of receiving what nature itself allowed, as if from its own hand. Now, by contrast, we are the ones to lay our hands on things, attempting to extract everything possible from them while frequently ignoring or forgetting the reality in front of us.” If we really want to kill the germ of self-destruction that is injected in the consumerist lifestyles imposed by the technocratic paradigm, “the time has come to pay renewed attention to reality and the limits it imposes; these in turn are the condition for a more sound and fruitful development of individuals and society”.
A “functional” document
“Doomsday predictions,” Francis warns, “can no longer be met with irony or disdain. We may well be leaving to coming generations debris, desolation and filth. The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet’s capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes, such as those which even now periodically occur in different areas of the world”. And yet there is nothing “catastrophist” about the Pope’s environmental encyclical. The realistic and detailed account of the current state if things does not contain any trace of fear for the future or a sense of powerlessness. On the contrary, its pages are full of functional proposals and insistent appeals for swift action to be taken. Because we have a serious situation on our hands and we are running out of time but a concrete and shared change of course can keep alive the hope of reversing the situation. Francis addresses everyone: every single faithful, every man and woman of goodwill, but also nations and international organisations and decision-makers. He presents concrete suggestions to all, offering hints and tips. The proposal which stands out the most, is his suggestion for developed countries in particular to slow down. The same approach is recommended by the most long-sighted of analysts. They point to this as the way forward, a path which must be followed without hesitation if mankind is to stop the spiral of self-destruction. “If in some cases sustainable development were to involve new forms of growth, in other cases, given the insatiable and irresponsible growth produced over many decades, we need also to think of containing growth by setting some reasonable limits and even retracing our steps before it is too late. We know how unsustainable is the behaviour of those who constantly consume and destroy while others are not yet able to live in a way worthy of their human dignity. That is why the time has come to accept decreased growth in some parts of the world, in order to provide resources for other places to experience healthy growth.”
The Church is the friend of mankind
With his “Summa Ecologica”, Pope Francis offers everyone the appropriate and healthy gifts found in the immense treasure of the Christian Tradition and memory. He does not say that Christianity stems from the theological-cultural model of the capitalist system or the development models spread by the market economy. Instead, he speaks about a “distorted anthropocentrism” and explains how “an inadequate presentation of Christian anthropology gave rise to a wrong understanding of the relationship between human beings and the world. Often, what was handed on was a Promethean vision of mastery over the world, which gave the impression that the protection of nature was something only the faint-hearted cared about”. Francis says that in the current historic moment, it is the Christian experience of the gratuity of creation, a gift received with surprise and gratitude, which must be protected and can help everyone achieve lifestyles that are not dictated but the neurotic, bulimic tendencies imposed by consumerism. “Once we start to think about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at things differently; we realize that the world is a gift which we have freel received and must share with others. Since the world has been given to us, we can no longer view reality in a purely utilitarian way, in which efficiency and productivity are entirely geared to our individual benefit.” The Bishop of Rome presents sobriety and the sense of awe before creation as a gift for everyone. This path was recommended by St. Francis and many other humble figures of Christian spirituality. Also, Francis once again presents the Church as a friend of mankind, the same image that was evoked during the Second Vatican Council. A Church that proclaims the Gospel of Christ without any interests or plans of its own to defend. It is precisely for this reason that it is able to offer the entire human family the ever new gifts of Christianity’s thousand-year-old wisdom. Pope Francis’ encyclical touches a nerve across the world, grasping the current global emergency with a prophetic timeliness. In a world rocked by wars and enmity, he points to the defence and protection of creation as a common ground on which people can rediscover and experience a common destiny in a concrete way, a common destiny that unites Christians with Jews, Muslims, followers of different religions and all men and women of this earth. For this reason, it is therefore likely that the nations’ powers will pay attention to his words. As was the case when the “Pacem in Terris” was published some decades ago – when God’s other name was evoked in the face of the first signs of nuclear war – and the “Populorum progressio” – when Paul VI spoke of “the peoples in hunger” who appeal to “the people of opulence”. This is what can happen when the Church shows the world, in a clear way, that preaching the Gospel of Christ also means having everyone’s good at heart and serving everyone. Because as St. Augustine taught, the wellbeing of the City of men is something that those who belong to the City of God hold close to their heart.
A FALSE PROPHET COMES FROM THE VATICAN ALSO AT THIS TIME.
ISAIAH 23:15-17
15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.(COULD THIS BE 70 YEARS AFTER ISRAEL BECAME A NATION IN 1948)(IF SO THIS SATANIC ONE WORLD WHORE CHURCH WILL MINGLE TOGETHER BY 2018)(AND NOW ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY AND ALL RELIGIONS ARE MINGLING AS ONE PEACE-LOVE-JOY-GET ALONG RELIGION LEAD BY THE VATICAN RIGHT NOW 4 YEARS FROM THE 70 YEAR TIME WHEN ISRAEL BECAME A NATION).AND IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM.
REVELATION 13:11-18
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM
REVELATION 17:1-18
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen,(1-ASSYRIA,2-EGYPT,3-BABYLON,4-MEDO-PERSIA,5-GREECE) and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS AND JESUS DAY-6-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.(7TH-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE OR THE EUROPEAN UNION TODAY AND THE SHORT SPACE IS-THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL HAVE WORLD CONTROL FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS.BUT WILL HAVE ITS MIGHTY WORLD POWER FOR THE FULL 7 YEARS OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THE WORLD DICTATOR WILL BE THE BEAST FROM THE EU.AND THE VATICAN POPE WILL BE THE WHORE THAT RIDES THE EUROPEAN UNION TO POWER.AND THE 2 EUROPEAN UNION POWER FREAKS WILL CONTROL AND DECIEVE THE WHOLE EARTH INTO THEIR DESTRUCTION.IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.YOU WILL BE DECIEVED BY THESE TWO.THE WORLD POLITICIAN-THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR.AND THE FALSE PROPHET THAT DEFECTS CHRISTIANITY-THE FALSE VATICAN POPE.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
06/17/2015-The “green” encyclical: Saving creation without exploiting mankind-In the “Laudato Si’” encyclical, Pope Francis shows a great attention for environmental movements but explains that one cannot fight to save plants and animals on the one hand but then justify abortion or embryo manipulation on the other-ANDREA TORNIELLI
vatican city-The great openness Francis shows toward environmental movements in his “Laudato Si’” encyclical, is not at all unconditional. On the contrary. In several pages of the new document – which inextricably links the environmental and ecological issue to the social issue – Pope Francis clearly points out the contradiction of those who consider humans to be the “cancer” of the planet, battling against genetic modification and experimentation on animals, while at the same justifying abortion and experimentation on and genetic modification of living human embryos, taking a great interest in whales but not in immigrants, refugees and those dying of hunger and thirst.“The natural environment has been gravely damaged by our irresponsible behaviour. The social environment has also suffered damage. Both are ultimately due to the same evil: the notion that there are no indisputable truths to guide our lives and hence human freedom is limitless”, Francis explains at the start of his encyclical.Francis contests the popular theories about the drop in birth rates. “Instead of resolving the problems of the poor and thinking of how the world can be different, some can only propose a reduction in the birth rate. At times, developing countries face forms of international pressure which make economic assistance contingent on certain policies of “reproductive health”.” Referring to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Pope Francis explains that “demographic growth is fully compatible with an integral and shared development”. “To blame population growth instead of an extreme and selective consumerism on the part of some, is one way of refusing to face the issues. It is an attempt to legitimize the present model of distribution, where a minority believes that it has the right to consume in a way which can never be universalized, since the planet could not even contain the waste products of such consumption. Besides, we know that approximately a third of all food produced is discarded, and “whenever food is thrown out it is as if were stolen from the table of the poor”.The Pope mentions the theory put forward by those who consider mankind to be the disease of the planet in the paragraph where he presents the various positions on this issue: “At the other extreme are those who view men and women and all their interventions as no more than a threat, jeopardizing the global ecosystem”.Francis urges people “not to put all living beings on the same level nor to deprive human beings of their unique worth and the tremendous responsibility it entails”. “At times”, the Pope observes, “we see an obsession with denying any preeminence to the human person; more zeal is shown in protecting other species than in defending the dignity which all human beings share in equal measure… But we should be particularly indignant at the enormous inequalities in our midst.”“A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings. It is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking, unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted. This compromises the very meaning of our struggle for the sake of the environment.”The Pope continues, underlining that “when we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities – to offer just a few examples – it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself” because “everything is connected”.Indeed, he added, “our relationship with the environment can never be isolated from our relationship with others and with God. Otherwise, it would be nothing more than romantic individualism dressed up in ecological garb, locking us into a stifling immanence”.In one of the paragraphs of the encyclical, Francis reiterates - as he did in the Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” - his rejection of abortion: “Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion. How can we really teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable beings, however annoying or inconvenient they may be, if we fail to protect a human embryo, even when its presence is uncomfortable and creates difficulties?”The Pope stresses the contradiction of a hardline defence of the environment on the one hand and the failure to defend human beings on the other:“On the other hand, it is troubling that, when certain ecological movements defend the integrity of the environment, rightly demanding that certain limits be imposed on scientific research, they sometimes fail to apply those same principles to human life. There is a tendency to justify transgressing all boundaries when experimentation is carried out on living human embryos. We forget that the inalienable worth of a human person transcends his or her degree of development. When technology disregards the great ethical principles, it ends up considering any practice whatsoever as licit.”Francis sees creation through the lens of human ecology, as a gift. He warns against theories that stamp out sexual difference: “Also, valuing one’s own body in its femininity or masculinity is necessary if I am going to be able to recognize myself in an encounter with someone who is different. In this way we can joyfully accept the specific gifts of another man or woman, the work of God the creator, and find mutual enrichment. It is not a healthy attitude which would seek “to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it”.“Human ecology is inseparable from the notion of the common good”, Francis explains and “underlying the principle of the common good is respect for the human person as such, endowed with basic and inalienable rights ordered to his or her integral development. It has also to do with the overall welfare of society and the development of a variety of intermediate groups, in application of the principle of subsidiarity. Outstanding among those groups is the family, as the basic cell of society”. The family is “the place in which life – the gift of God – can be properly welcomed and protected against the many attacks to which it is exposed, and can develop in accordance with what constitutes authentic human growth”.For Francis, an attention to life, to the “inalienable” value of every human being, is evidently an essential condition for an approach that truly respects nature and the environment.
06/17/2015 -vatican insider-Pope Francis’ encyclical: This “wounded world” needs “an ecological conversion”-"The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth"The “Laudato Si’” encyclical says: we have grown up believing that we have the right to plunder the planet at our will. The environmental crisis is an anthropological crisis and is liked to our development model: the structural causes of an economy that does not respect mankind need to be eliminated. Pope Francis’ encyclical is an appeal to governments and institutions and a proposal for new ways of living. The defence of nature is not compatible with abortion and embryo experimentation. For the first time ever, a papal encyclical quotes a Sufi mystic, Ali Al-Khawwas-andrea tornielli
vatican city-The Mother Earth, our common home, “cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will.” We need an “ecological conversion”. Safeguarding our planet must go hand in hand with ensuring justice for the poor and a solution to the structural problems of an economy, the sole focus of which is profit.Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’”, a 246-paragraph-long document divided into six chapters, is a new contribution to the Church’s social doctrine, bringing humans face to face with their responsibilities. This articulate text, which goes into great detail at certain points, makes ample reference to the documents of many bishops’ conferences and does not just address Christians but “every person living on this planet”. Francis reiterates the words of his predecessors, urging people to “eliminate[e] the structural causes of the dysfunctions of the world economy and correc[t] models of growth which have proved incapable of ensuring respect for the environment”.After mentioning the contribution of “the beloved Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew”, who has spoken of “the need for each of us to repent of the ways we have harmed the planet”, Pope Francis’ text proposes St. Francis’ model, which teaches us “just how inseparable is the bond between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace”. Francis appeals for “universal solidarity”, in order to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development”.“Our (polluted) home”The Pope addresses the pollution issue: “Atmospheric pollutants” which “caus[e] millions of premature deaths”, particularly among the poorest; pollution caused by industrial fumes and landfill sites, pesticides and waste in general. “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.”Francis explains how “a very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system” mostly due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases. “Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming”. The Pope mentions the melting of the polar ice caps and the loss of tropical forests. The “worst impact will probably be felt by developing countries in coming decades”. Hence, “there is an urgent need to develop policies so that, in the next few years, the emission of of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases can be drastically reduced”.Francis goes on to address the issue of the depletion of natural resources, recalling that “it is not possible to sustain the present level of consumption in the developed countries”. He speaks about “water poverty” which “especially affects Africa”. Regarding the tendency “to privatize this resource, turning it into a commodity subject to the laws of the market”, Francis stresses that “access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right”. The encyclical then looks at the loss of biodiversity. Among those places that “need greater protection because of their immense importance for the global ecosystem”, Francis mentions “those richly biodiverse lungs of our planet which are the Amazon and the Congo basins, or the great aquifers and glaciers”. He urges the world not to “overlook the huge global economic interests which, under the guise of protecting them, can undermine the sovereignty of individual nations”.The Pope speaks about the deterioration in the quality of human life and social degradation, seen for example, in “the disproportionate and unruly growth of many cities, which have become unhealthy to live in”, both because of pollution and urban chaos. Francis invites people to reflect on “global inequality”, recalling that “the human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together”, affecting the most vulnerable. “One often has the impression” that these “problems are brought up as an afterthought”. The Pope stresses, therefore, that “a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor”.
“A reduction in the birth rate” - which is even sought through "international pressure" on "developing countries" - is not the solution, the Pope warns. A true “ecological debt” exists between the global north and south: “The warming caused by huge consumption on the part of some rich countries has repercussions on the poorest areas of the world”. “The developed countries ought to help pay this debt by significantly limiting their consumption of nonrenewable energy and by assisting poorer countries to support policies and programmes of sustainable development.” “The poorest areas and countries”, on the other hand, “are less capable of adopting new models for reducing environmental impact”.These situations call for a change of course, for the “establishment of a legal framework which can set clear boundaries and ensure the protection of ecosystems”. Francis denounces “the weak international political responses” seen so far. “There are too many special interests, and economic interests easily end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their own plans will not be affected,” he adds.“Economic powers continue to justify the current global system, where priority tends to be given to speculation and the pursuit of financial gain”. Today, we see that “whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenceless before the interests of a deified market, which become the only rule”. The Pope foresees that “once certain resources have been depleted, the scene will be set for new wars, albeit under the guise of noble claims”. Politics must pay greater attention but “powerful financial interests prove most resistant to this effort”.The Pope recognises the diversity of opinion on the situation and possible solutions. He mentions two extremes: those who claim that “ecological problems will solve themselves simply with the simple application of new technology and without any need for ethical considerations or deep change” and those who believe that “men and women and all their interventions as no more than a threat, jeopardizing the global ecosystem, and consequently the presence of human beings on the planet should be reduced”. “On many concrete questions, the Church has no reason to offer a definitive opinion”. “But”, he adds, “we need only take a frank look at the facts to see that our common home is falling into serious disrepair”.
The Gospel of creation
In the second chapter, Francis invites people to consider what the Bible teaches about creation and recalls that “science and religion, with their distinctive approaches to understanding reality, can enter into an intense dialogue fruitful for both” and that in order to resolve problems, “respect must also be shown for the various cultural riches of different peoples, their art and poetry, their interior life and spirituality”. “The Bible teaches that every man and woman is created out of love and made in God’s image and likeness.” “We are not God. The earth was here before us and it has been given to us,” Francis writes, reiterating that when the Genesis says that man is granted “dominion over the earth”, this does not mean he must embark on an “unbridled exploitation of nature”. We are called then to recognise that “every creature is thus the object of the Father’s tenderness”. The Church’s action not only seeks to remind humans of the need to take care of nature, but at the same time “she must above all protect mankind from self-destruction”.The Pope urges against “put[ting] all living beings on the same level” and a “divinization” of the earth. Francis criticises those who show more zeal “in protecting other species than in defending the dignity which all human beings share in equal measure”. “It is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking, unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted. This compromises the very meaning of our struggle for the sake of the environment.”
A crisis caused by mankind
In the third chapter of the “Laudato Si’” encyclical, the Pope underlines the “human roots” of the ecological crisis, focusing on “the dominant technocratic paradigm”. Science and Technology “are wonderful products of a God-given human creativity”, however, “it must also be recognized that nuclear energy, biotechnology, information technology, knowledge of our DNA, and so many other abilities which we have acquired, have given us tremendous power”. In fact, “they have given those with the knowledge, and especially the economic resources to use them, an impressive dominance over the whole of humanity and the entire world”. “It is extremely risky for a small part of humanity to have it.”"The economy accepts every advance in technology with a view to profit… Finance overwhelms the real economy. The lessons of the global financial crisis have not been assimilated, and we are learning all too slowly the lessons of environmental deterioration. Some circles maintain that current economics and technology will solve all environmental problems” just as they argue“that the problems of global hunger and poverty will be resolved simply by market growth”. “Yet by itself the market cannot guarantee integral human development and social inclusion.”In the face of all this, in ecological culture “there needs to be a distinctive way of looking at things, a way of thinking, policies, an educational programme, a lifestyle and a spirituality which together generate resistance to the assault of the technocratic paradigm”. “All of this shows the urgent need for us to move forward in a bold cultural revolution… Nobody is suggesting a return to the Stone Age, but we do need to slow down and look at reality in a different way.”“When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities – to offer just a few examples – it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself. Everything is connected.” Furthermore, “concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion”. The culture of relativism “is the same disorder which drives one person to take advantage of another, to treat others as mere objects…It is also the mindset of those who say: Let us allow the invisible forces of the market to regulate the economy.” Without objective truths and firm principles, political programmes and laws are not sufficient “to prevent actions which affect the environment”, because “when culture itself is corrupt” laws will merely be seen as “arbitrary impositions or obstacles to be avoided”.Francis then discusses the need to defend human work, which must not be replaced as a result of technological progress. “The broader objective should always be to allow them a dignified life through work.” Francis recalls that “civil authorities have the right and duty to adopt clear and firm measures in support of small producers and differentiated production” and in order “to ensure an economic freedom from which all can effectively benefit, restraints occasionally have to be imposed on those possessing greater resources and financial power”.With regard to biological innovation, the Pope shows prudence in the paragraphs dedicated to genetic modification, stating “it is difficult to make a general judgement about genetic modification (GM)”. The Pope recalls that “genetic mutations, in fact, have often been, and continue to be, caused by nature itself. Nor are mutations caused by human intervention a modern phenomenon.” He recognises that the use of GM cereals “in some regions” “has brought about economic growth which has helped to resolve problems”. But, he adds, “there remain a number of significant difficulties which should not be underestimated”, such as “productive land [being] concentrated in the hands of a few owners” and “an expansion of oligopolies for the production of cereals and other products needed for their cultivation”. “A broad, responsible scientific and social debate needs to take place, one capable of considering all the available information”. Just as “troubling” is the fact that “certain ecological movements defend the integrity of the environment, rightly demanding that certain limits be imposed on scientific research”, while at the same time justifying “experimentation” “on living human embryos”.
Striving for an integral ecology
In the fourth chapter of the encyclical, Francis reiterates the importance of an integral approach to combat poverty while caring for nature at the same time. “The analysis of environmental problems cannot be separated from the analysis of human, family, workrelated and urban contexts, and of how individuals relate to themselves”. The Pope talks about a “social ecology”, recalling that “a number of countries have a relatively low level of institutional effectiveness, which results in greater problems for their people”, while a “lack of respect for the law is becoming more common”. Even when there are environmental laws in place, these are not Always implemented. Francis then speaks about “cultural ecology” and calls for attention to be shown to local cultures. He warned against “attempt[ing] to resolve all problems through uniform regulations” and explained “the need to respect the rights of peoples and cultures”, because the “imposition of a dominant lifestyle linked to a single form of production can be just as harmful as the altering of ecosystems”.The Pope praises the “creativity and generosity” of “persons and groups who respond to environmental limitations by alleviating the adverse effects of their surroundings and learning to live productively amid disorder and uncertainty”. He gives examples relating to cities: those who design buildings, neighbourhoods, public spaces and cities, should serve “people’s quality of life, their adaptation to the environment, encounter and mutual assistance”, listening to the views of locals. Francis mentioned the problem of transport, urban traffic pollution, the priority that should be given to public transport but public transport systems - which need to be improved – “in many cities force people to put up with undignified conditions due to crowding, inconvenience, infrequent service and lack of safety”.A genuine human ecology means “valuing one’s own body in its femininity or masculinity”. “It is not” therefore “a healthy attitude which would seek “to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it”. The notion of the “common good” is inseparable from human ecology. The “common good” requires “respect for the human person as such, endowed with basic and inalienable rights”, taking into account the development of intermediate groups, starting with the family.
What action to take
In the fifth chapter of “Laudato Si’”, Francis says a “global consensus is essential” as it could lead to “planning a sustainable and diversified agriculture, developing renewable and less polluting forms of energy”. The Pope states that “technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels” “needs to be progressively and replaced without delay”. He observes that “politics and business have been slow to react” and that “recent World Summits on the environment have failed to live up to expectations”. With regard to climate change and the reduction of greenhouse gases, advances “have been regrettably few” also “due to positions taken by countries which place their national interests above the global common good”. The Pope warns against certain strategies for lowering pollutant gas emissions that penalize poor countries with “burdensome commitments to reducing emissions”, creating a new injustice “under the guise of a certain commitment to the environment”.Francis therefore mentions the “weakening of the power of nation states, chiefly because the economic and financial sectors, being transnational, tends to prevail over the political” calling for “stronger and more efficiently organized international institutions, with functionaries who are appointed fairly by agreement among national governments, and empowered to impose sanctions”. Meanwhile, every state must oversee its territory and encourage best practices.Francis analyses the policies of governments, which, in response to electoral interests are “reluctant to upset the public with measures which could affect the level of consumption”. He refers to the development of cooperatives that exploit “renewable sources of energy which ensure local self-sufficiency” as a positive example, expressing the hope that non-governmental organizations and intermediate bodies in society will play a more prominent role. The Pope also writes that environmental impact assessment “should be part of the process from the beginning” in any plan or programme. “The local population should have a special place at the table; they are concerned about their own future and that of their children”.Francis recalls that “politics must not be subject to the economy, nor should the economy be subject to the dictates of an efficiency-driven paradigm of technocracy”. “Saving banks at any cost, making the public pay the price, foregoing a firm commitment to reviewing and reforming the entire system, only reaffirms the absolute power of a financial system, a power which has no future and will only give rise to new crises”. Francis invites us “to reject a magical conception of the market which would suggest that problems can be solved simply by an increase in the profits of companies or individuals”. “Given the insatiable and irresponsible growth produced over many decades, we need also to think of containing growth by setting some reasonable limits”, “accept[ing] decreased growth in some parts of the world”, “provid[ing] resources for other places to experience healthy growth”. Francis observes that “the principle of the maximization of profits, frequently isolated from other considerations, reflects a misunderstanding of the very nature of the economy” and that today, “some economic sectors exercise more power than states themselves”. He goes on to highlight the important role of “religions” in the solution of economic, social and environmental problems.
An ecological spirituality
In the final chapter of the encyclical, Francis invites people to aim towards a different lifestyle in order to avoid being overcome by “compulsive consumerism” which is “one example of how the techno-economic paradigm affects individuals”. “That paradigm leads people to believe that they are free as long as they have the supposed freedom to consume” when in actual fact, “those really free are the minority who wield economic and financial power”. “Obsession with a consumerist lifestyle, above all when few people are capable of maintaining it, can only lead to violence and mutual destruction.”But the Pope invites people to look at the positive side and the possibility all humans have to “choos[e] again what is good”. He recalled that “a change in lifestyle could bring healthy pressure to bear on those who wield political, economic and social power”. “This is what consumer movements accomplish by boycotting certain products. They prove successful in changing the environmental footprint and their patterns of production.”“An awareness of the gravity of today’s cultural and ecological crisis must be translated into new habits.” “We are faced with an educational challenge.” And we have to start with small day-to-day choices. The Pope mentions the educational role of the family, which teaches how to care for creation and about the correct use of things. And while “political institutions and various other social groups are also entrusted with helping to raise people’s awareness”, so too is the Church: Francis’ hope is that seminaries and houses of formation will provide an “education in responsible simplicity of life”.The Pope calls for an “ecological conversion” that recognises that “the world is God’s loving gift”. Christian spirituality “encourages a prophetic and contemplative lifestyle, one capable of deep enjoyment free of the obsession with consumption”. “Christian spirituality proposes a growth marked by moderation and the capacity to be happy with little.” Integral ecology requires “an attitude of the heart, one which approaches life with serene attentiveness”. For example, Francis suggests “stop[ping] and giv[ing] thanks to God before and after meals”, inviting people to learn how to contemplate the “mystical meaning” that is “to be found in a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person’s face”. It is here that the Islamic spiritual writer Ali al-Khawas is quoted in a footnote, for the first time ever in a papal encyclical. The Pope concludes his encyclical by proposing two prayers, one “for our earth” and one “in union with creation”.
READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE ENCYCLICAL
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
06/18/2015-vatican insider-Metropolitan Zizioulas: “Laudato Si’ is an occasion of great joy and satisfaction for the Orthodox”-Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon-Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon’s address for the launch of Pope Francis’ ecology encyclical Laudato Si’. At the presentation which took place in the New Synod Hall in the Vatican this morning, the Metropilitan, acting as representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew, communicated the Patriarch’s “personal joy and satisfaction” for the issuing of the encyclical-Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon
vatican city
Introduction
I should like to begin by expressing my deep gratitude for the honour to be invited to take part in this event of launching the new Encyclical of His Holiness Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’. I am also honoured by the fact that His All-Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, has asked me to convey to you his personal joy and satisfaction for the issuing of the Encyclical. As some of you may already know, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been the first one in the Christian world to draw the attention of the world community to the seriousness of the ecological problem and the duty of the Church to voice its concern and try to contribute with all the spiritual means at its disposal towards the protection of our natural environment. Thus, back already in the year 1989, Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios issued an Encyclical to the faithful Christians and to all people of good will, in which he underlined the seriousness of the ecological problem and its theological and spiritual dimensions. This was followed by a series of activities, such as international conferences of religious leaders and scientific experts, as well as seminars for young people, Church ministers etc. under the auspices of the present Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, aiming at the promotion of an ecological consciousness among the Christians in particular and more widely in the community of men and women.The issuing of the Encyclical Laudato Si’ is, therefore, an occasion of great joy and satisfaction for the Orthodox. On behalf of them I should like to express our deep gratitude to His Holiness for raising his authoritative voice to draw the attention of the world to the urgent need to protect God’s creation from the damage we humans inflict on it with our behavior towards nature. This Encyclical comes at a critical moment in human history and will undoubtedly have a worldwide effect on people’s consciousness.Those who read the Encyclical will be impressed by the depth and the thoroughness with which the ecological problem is treated and its seriousness is brought out, together with concrete suggestions and proposals on how to act in order to face its consequences. There is in its pages food for thought for all: the scientist, the economist, the sociologist and above all the faithful of the Church. My own comments will be limited to the richness of theological thought and spirituality of the Encyclical. Time and space prevent me from doing full justice to the treatment of these aspects. I shall limit myself to the following points:
a) The theological significance of ecology;
b) The spiritual dimension of the ecological problem; and
c) The ecumenical significance of the Encyclical.
1. Theology and Ecology
What does ecology have to do with theology? In the traditional manuals of theology, there is hardly any place for ecology and the same is true for the academic curricula of the theological schools, Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. The Encyclical devotes a whole chapter (ch. 2) to show the profound ecological implications of the Christian doctrine of creation. It points out that according to the Bible “human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships with God, with our neighbor and with the earth itself” (par. 66). This third relationship, i.e. with the earth, has been very often ignored by Christian theology to such an extent that the American historian Lynn White, in a now famous article in the periodical Scientist (1967), would accuse Christian theology for being responsible for the modern ecological crisis. For it is true that in Christian theology the human being has been so exalted above material creation as to allow humans to treat it as material for the satisfaction of their needs and desires. The human being has been de-naturalized and in its abuse and misuse of the biblical command to the first human couple – “increase and multiply and subdue the earth” (Gen. 1.28) – humanity was encouraged to exploit the material creation unrestrictedly with no respect for its integrity and even sacredness.This attitude to creation did not only lead to a misuse of the biblical doctrine but at the same time contradicted fundamental principles of Christian faith. One of them is the faith in the Incarnation of Christ. In assuming human nature, the Son of God took over material creation in its entirety. Christ came to save the whole creation through the Incarnation, not only humanity; for according to St. Paul (Rom. 8.23) “the whole creation groans in travail and is suffering” awaiting its salvation through humanity.The other fundamental principle of Christian faith that has important ecological implications relates to the very heart of the Church, which is the Holy Eucharist. In the celebration of the Eucharist, the Church offers to God the material world in the form of the bread and the wine. In this Sacrament space, time and matter are sanctified; they are lifted up to the Creator with thankfulness as His gifts to us; creation is solemnly declared as God’s gift, and human beings instead of proprietors of creation act as its priests, who lift it up to the holiness of the divine life. This brings to mind the moving words of St. Francis of Assisi with which the Encyclical opens: “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth.” As St. Gregory Palamas and other Greek Fathers would put it, the whole of creation is permeated by God’s presence through His divine energies; everything declares God’s glory, as the Psalmist says, and the human being leads this cosmic chorus of glorification to the Creator as the priest of creation. This way of understanding the place and mission of humanity in creation is common to both Eastern and Western Christian tradition, and is of particular importance for the cultivation of an ecological ethos.
2. The Spiritual Dimension
As it emerges clearly from the Encyclical, the ecological crisis is essentially a spiritual problem. The proper relationship between humanity and the earth or its natural environment has been broken with the Fall both outwardly and within us, and this rupture is sin. The Church must now introduce in its teaching about sin the sin against the environment, the ecological sin. Repentance must be extended to cover also the damage we do to nature both as individuals and as societies. This must be brought to the conscience of every Christian who cares for his or her salvation.The rupture of the proper relationship between humanity and nature is due to the rise of individualism in our culture. The pursuit of individual happiness has been made into an ideal in our time. Ecological sin is due to human greed which blinds men and women to the point of ignoring and disregarding the basic truth that the happiness of the individual depends on its relationship with the rest of human beings. There is a social dimension in ecology which the Encyclical brings out with clarity. The ecological crisis goes hand in hand with the spread of social injustice. We cannot face successfully the one without dealing with the other.Ecological sin is a sin not only against God but also against our neighbor. And it is a sin not only against the other of our own time but also – and this is serious – against the future generations. By destroying our planet in order to satisfy our greed for happiness, we bequeath to the future generations a world damaged beyond repair with all the negative consequences that this will have for their lives. We must act, therefore, responsibly towards our children and those who will succeed us in this life.All this calls for what we may describe as an ecological asceticism. It is noteworthy that the great figures of the Christian ascetical tradition were all sensitive towards the suffering of all creatures. The equivalent of a St. Francis of Assisi is abundantly present in the monastic tradition of the East. There are accounts of the lives of the desert saints which present the ascetic as weeping for the suffering or death of every creature and as leading a peaceful and friendly co-existence even with the beasts. This is not romanticism. It springs from a loving heart and the conviction that between the natural world and ourselves there is an organic unity and interdependence that makes us share a common fate just as we have the same Creator.Asceticism is an unpleasant idea in our present culture, which measures happiness and progress with the increase of capital and consumption. It would be unrealistic to expect our societies to adopt asceticism in the way St. Francis and the Desert Fathers of the East experienced it. But the spirit and the ethos of asceticism can and must be adopted if our planet is to survive. Restraint in the consumption of natural resources is a realistic attitude and ways must be found to put a limit to the immense waste of natural materials. Technology and science must devote their efforts to such a task. There is a great deal of inspiration and help that can be drawn from the Encyclical itself in this respect.Finally, spirituality must penetrate our ecological ethos through prayer. The Encyclical offers some beautiful examples of how to pray for the protection of God’s creation. From the prayers cited at the end of the Encyclical, I find the following extract moving:
O God, bring healing to our lives,that we may protect the world and not prey on it-that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.Touch the hearts-of those who look only for gain-at the expense of the poor of the earth.Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,to be filled with awe and contemplation,to recognize that we are profoundly united-with every creature-as we journey towards your infinite light.At this point I should like to mention that the Ecumenical Patriarchate decided as early as 1989 to devote the 1st of September of each year to praying for the environment. This date is according to the Orthodox liturgical calendar, going back to the Byzantine times, the first day of the ecclesiastical year. The liturgical service of the day includes prayers for creation and the Ecumenical Patriarchate commissioned a contemporary hymnographer from Mount Athos to compose special hymns for that day. The 1st of September each year is now devoted by the Orthodox to the environment. Might this not become a date for such prayer for all Christians? This would mark a step towards further closeness among them.This brings me to my last comment on the Papal Encyclical, namely its ecumenical significance.
3. The Ecumenical Significance of the Encyclical
There are in my view three dimensions to ecumenism. The first we may call ecumenism in time, an expression frequently used by one of the greatest Orthodox theologians of the last century, the late Fr. Georges Florovsky. By this we mean the effort of the divided Christians to unite on the basis of their common Tradition, the teaching of the Bible and the Church Fathers. This is the object of the theological dialogues which are taking place in the Ecumenical Movement of our time and it seems to be the predominant form of ecumenism.At the same time an ecumenism in space is also practiced through various international institutions, such as the World Council of Churches and similar ecumenical bodies which bring together the divided Christians so that the different cultural contexts in which they live may be taken into consideration in the search for unity. This has brought together Christians from Asia, America, Europe, Latin America etc – an expression of the universality of the Christian Church.To these two dimensions which have dominated the ecumenical scene for the last hundred years we must add, I think, a third one which is usually neglected, namely what I would call an existential ecumenism. By that I mean the effort to face together the most profound existential problems that preoccupy humanity in its entirety – not simply in particular places or classes of people. Ecology is without doubt the most obvious candidate in this case.I believe that the significance of the Papal Encyclical Laudato Si’ is not limited to the subject of ecology as such. I see in it an important ecumenical dimension in that it brings the divided Christians before a common task which they must face together. We live at a time when fundamental existential problems overwhelm our traditional divisions and relativize them almost to the point of extinction. Look, for example, at what is happening today in the Middle East: do those who persecute the Christians ask them to which Church or Confession they belong? Christian unity in such cases is de facto realized by persecution and blood – an ecumenism of martyrdom.The threat posed to us by the ecological crisis similarly bypasses or transcends our traditional divisions. The danger facing our common home, the planet in which we live, is described in the Encyclical in a way leaving no doubt about the existential risk we are confronted with. This risk is common to all of us regardless of our ecclesiastical or confessional identities. Equally common must be our effort to prevent the catastrophic consequences of the present situation. Pope Francis’ Encyclical is a call to unity – unity in prayer for the environment, in the same Gospel of creation, in the conversion of our hearts and our lifestyles to respect and love everyone and everything given to us by God. We are thankful for that.
06/17/2015-vatican insider-Pope Francis’ “Summa Ecologica”: Back to reality-A young girl in a landfill site-Following the “green thread” of the environmental crisis, the Pope launches a tenacious global criticism of the development model that is pushing the world towards the cliff of self-destruction. And suggests possible remedies-Gianni Valente
vatican city-Pope Francis’ “Laudato Si’” is more than “just” an ecological encyclical. Following the “green thread” of the environmental issue, looking at its most far-reaching implications, what the Bishop of Rome has actually done is design a tenacious global criticism of the development model that is pushing mankind and the world towards the cliff of self-destruction. The ecological emergency is the face of today's social question. A breeding ground for all the infections that are tormenting people and nations. Generations and continents.
An apology of critical thinking
The over two-hundred-page-long papal text takes the reader on a journey through contaminated algae and aquifers, through coral reefs and invasive air-conditioners. But the leverage point of the Pope’s message is the objective statement about the unsustainability of the world management model imposed by a new market globalisation. Pope Francis writes that “there are regions now at high risk and, aside from all doomsday predictions, the present world system is certainly unsustainable from a number of points of view”. In doing so he grasps and describes the oft-concealed links between financial crises and biblical migrations of populations, geopolitical upheavals and world wars fought “piecemeal”; wars which resulted from a desire to gain control of non-renewable energy sources because “the world’s problems cannot be analysed or explained in isolation”. Francis’ reflections are in many cases not a look at future scenarios but the description of a “future” that has already begun. For example, he makes the easy prediction that “once certain resources have been depleted, the scene will be set for new wars, albeit under the guise of noble claims”.
“Technocratic” greed
Essentially what Francis says, is that the destruction of creation is rooted in the grabbing culture that is a part of the human condition which is marked by original sin and also conditions the frantic workings of a market-driven globalisation. Francis sees all the manifestations of this conditioning, manifestations which lead to global destruction: from the fight between multinational companies for control of drinking water sources to fishing activities which selectively plunders species from seas on the basis of their sale price. In the environmental disaster that threatens the world, the blind fever corrupting the entire system reaches a breaking point that is visible to all, because everyone – regardless of attempts to conceal the facts through the manipulation of the media which show subservience to economic and financial power blocs – will feel the effects of self-destruction on their own skin in one way or another. Said effects stem from production and consumption models that are gradually engulfing the entire planet. For the generations that are experiencing this historic phase, the blind impulse to accumulate has such devastating effects because for the first time in history it can use the murderous instruments made available today by “the new power structures based on the techno-economic paradigm”. This power has no limits and cannot be contained by a weak international political reaction. “The failure of global summits on the environment make plain that our politics are subject to technology and finance”, Francis points out. “There are too many special interests, and economic interests easily end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their own plans will not be affected”.
Back to reality
Pope Francis’ critique of the self-destructive processes set in motion by the pursuit of an “immediat[e] benefit from sales” driven by the laws of a “deified” market, does not stem from a romantic idealism or the nostalgic dream of a trip back in time and a return to pre-industrial ways of life. His considerations are based on a respect for reality, for what is given to us, something which the delirium of technocratic omnipotence continuously seeks to abuse. The ecological problem stems precisely from the fact that there is a way of understanding life and human action which contradicts reality to the point of ruining it. The whole text is based on realism and respect for the principle of reality in the face of objective facts that mark the human condition, starting with the recognition of the limits of the world and its resources. The Pope has sprinkled the entire text with effective antidotes to the unquestioning belief in the “technocratic paradigm” and its well paid champions. Following in the footsteps of Romano Guardini, an author he is fond of, the Argentinian Pope speaks out against the limits of modern anthropocentrism which has “ended up prizing technical thought over reality since the technological mind sees nature as an insensate order, as a cold body of facts”. “Men and women have constantly intervened in nature,” Francis recalled, “but for a long time this meant being in tune with and respecting the possibilities offered by the things themselves. It was a matter of receiving what nature itself allowed, as if from its own hand. Now, by contrast, we are the ones to lay our hands on things, attempting to extract everything possible from them while frequently ignoring or forgetting the reality in front of us.” If we really want to kill the germ of self-destruction that is injected in the consumerist lifestyles imposed by the technocratic paradigm, “the time has come to pay renewed attention to reality and the limits it imposes; these in turn are the condition for a more sound and fruitful development of individuals and society”.
A “functional” document
“Doomsday predictions,” Francis warns, “can no longer be met with irony or disdain. We may well be leaving to coming generations debris, desolation and filth. The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet’s capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes, such as those which even now periodically occur in different areas of the world”. And yet there is nothing “catastrophist” about the Pope’s environmental encyclical. The realistic and detailed account of the current state if things does not contain any trace of fear for the future or a sense of powerlessness. On the contrary, its pages are full of functional proposals and insistent appeals for swift action to be taken. Because we have a serious situation on our hands and we are running out of time but a concrete and shared change of course can keep alive the hope of reversing the situation. Francis addresses everyone: every single faithful, every man and woman of goodwill, but also nations and international organisations and decision-makers. He presents concrete suggestions to all, offering hints and tips. The proposal which stands out the most, is his suggestion for developed countries in particular to slow down. The same approach is recommended by the most long-sighted of analysts. They point to this as the way forward, a path which must be followed without hesitation if mankind is to stop the spiral of self-destruction. “If in some cases sustainable development were to involve new forms of growth, in other cases, given the insatiable and irresponsible growth produced over many decades, we need also to think of containing growth by setting some reasonable limits and even retracing our steps before it is too late. We know how unsustainable is the behaviour of those who constantly consume and destroy while others are not yet able to live in a way worthy of their human dignity. That is why the time has come to accept decreased growth in some parts of the world, in order to provide resources for other places to experience healthy growth.”
The Church is the friend of mankind
With his “Summa Ecologica”, Pope Francis offers everyone the appropriate and healthy gifts found in the immense treasure of the Christian Tradition and memory. He does not say that Christianity stems from the theological-cultural model of the capitalist system or the development models spread by the market economy. Instead, he speaks about a “distorted anthropocentrism” and explains how “an inadequate presentation of Christian anthropology gave rise to a wrong understanding of the relationship between human beings and the world. Often, what was handed on was a Promethean vision of mastery over the world, which gave the impression that the protection of nature was something only the faint-hearted cared about”. Francis says that in the current historic moment, it is the Christian experience of the gratuity of creation, a gift received with surprise and gratitude, which must be protected and can help everyone achieve lifestyles that are not dictated but the neurotic, bulimic tendencies imposed by consumerism. “Once we start to think about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at things differently; we realize that the world is a gift which we have freel received and must share with others. Since the world has been given to us, we can no longer view reality in a purely utilitarian way, in which efficiency and productivity are entirely geared to our individual benefit.” The Bishop of Rome presents sobriety and the sense of awe before creation as a gift for everyone. This path was recommended by St. Francis and many other humble figures of Christian spirituality. Also, Francis once again presents the Church as a friend of mankind, the same image that was evoked during the Second Vatican Council. A Church that proclaims the Gospel of Christ without any interests or plans of its own to defend. It is precisely for this reason that it is able to offer the entire human family the ever new gifts of Christianity’s thousand-year-old wisdom. Pope Francis’ encyclical touches a nerve across the world, grasping the current global emergency with a prophetic timeliness. In a world rocked by wars and enmity, he points to the defence and protection of creation as a common ground on which people can rediscover and experience a common destiny in a concrete way, a common destiny that unites Christians with Jews, Muslims, followers of different religions and all men and women of this earth. For this reason, it is therefore likely that the nations’ powers will pay attention to his words. As was the case when the “Pacem in Terris” was published some decades ago – when God’s other name was evoked in the face of the first signs of nuclear war – and the “Populorum progressio” – when Paul VI spoke of “the peoples in hunger” who appeal to “the people of opulence”. This is what can happen when the Church shows the world, in a clear way, that preaching the Gospel of Christ also means having everyone’s good at heart and serving everyone. Because as St. Augustine taught, the wellbeing of the City of men is something that those who belong to the City of God hold close to their heart.
