Featured Come out of Babylon, what does that mean?

The early church was true to what Christ and the apostles taught but the church at Rome slowly brought in the ancient pagan beliefs and subtly allowed them in the church, its well known and documented. Here are some of the issues...

The Great Apostasy is a concept within Christianity, identifiable at least from the time of the Reformation, to describe a perception that the early apostolic Church has fallen away from the original faith founded by Jesus and promulgated through his twelve Apostles. Protestants used the term to describe the perceived fallen state of traditional Christianity, especially the Roman Catholic Church, because they claim it changed the doctrines of the early church and allowed traditional Greco-Roman culture (i.e.Greco-Roman mysteries, deities of solar monism such as Mithras and Sol Invictus, pagan festivals and Mithraic sun worship and idol worship) into the church on its own perception of authority.[1] Because it made these changes using claims of tradition and not from scripture, the Church – in the opinion of those adhering to this concept – has fallen into apostasy.[2][3] A major thread of this perception is the suggestion that, to attract and convert people to Christianity, the church in Rome incorporated pagan beliefs and practices within the Christian religion, mostly Graeco-Roman rituals, mysteries, and festivals.[4] For example, Easter has been described as a pagan substitute for the Jewish Passover, although neither Jesus nor his Apostles enjoined the keeping of this or any other festival.[5][6]

The term is derived from the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, in which the Apostle Paul informs the Christians of Thessalonica that a great apostasy must occur before the return of Christ, when "the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction" (chapter 2:1–12). The Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches have interpreted this chapter as referring to a future falling-away, during the reign of the Antichrist at the end of time.

 

Well, lets flesh some of the doctrines of 'Babylon' or the apostate church that it brought in and corrupted the true church of Christ...

1. Just a few pagan practices in the Roman Catholic Church:
   
   • The rituals and practices of a priesthood to intercede and rule over the laity
   • A infallible vicar of Christ
   • Rote prayer
   • The Rosary (rote prayer to Mary for intercession)
   • Scapulars
   • Indulgences
   • Worship of Mary (in reality this pagan goddess with child pre-existed Mary and was known as the Queen of Heaven)
   • Holy Rituals
   • Sacraments
   • Holy water
   • The mission, practices, and methods of the Jesuits
   • Eucharistic Christ (The bread and wine becoming the body and blood of Christ whenever conjured up by a priest)
   
   While the Church claims it never gave the 'Saints' to the people to worship or pray to, the pagan masses it drew made no such fine distinctions, and they came to regard the idols of the Saints themselves as present helps in trouble and addressed their prayers directly to them. They were more interested in the power of the dead of pagan beliefs now set up as 'Saints' in the church, to help them in their troubles as they had done before as pagans. A good example of the closeness of the resemblance of the specialization of function of different Saints to that of pagan spirits is found in the published lists of Saints used by some Christians.
   
   Here are some of the examples: San Serapio was used to appealed to in case of stomach-ache; Santa Polonia for tooth-ache; San Jose, San Juan Bautista and Santa Catalina for headache; San Bernardo and San Cirilo for indigestion; San Luis for cholera; San Francisco for colic; San Ignacio and Santa Lutgarda for childbirth; Santa Balsania for scrofula; San Felix for ulcers; Santa Agueda for nursing mothers; San Babilas for burns; San Gorge for an infected cut; Santa Quiteria for dog's bite; San Ciriaco for diseases of the ear; Santa Lucia for the eyes; San Pedro for fever; and Santa Rita for the impossible and on and on. Some of the early Christians themselves protested against the cult of the Saints: for example, Vigilantius and Faustus in the fifth century. But on the other side were such great apologists as Augustine, Jerome, Ambrose, Chrysostom, and Basil, who though claiming that God alone was worshipped, expressed full belief in the efficacy of the intercession of the Saints.
   
   Going to the festivals which came in, there are some specific festivals that go back directly to pagan customs connected with the dead. All Saints' Day, was observed on the the Roman festival of the dead, the Lemuria. In the modern festival the faithful visit the tombs of the Saints, venerate their relics, and pray for their blessing. The next day also, the second of November, All Souls' Day, unquestionably reproduces some of the features of the Parentalia. The Parentalia or dies parentales ("ancestral days") was a nine-day festival held to honor the dead ancestors with visits to tombs and sacred offerings. It got into the church, and Christians went to the cemeteries and decked the graves of the members of their family with flowers and candles, and there were ceremonies which took the place of the ancient sacrifice, directed to the repose of the souls of the departed.
   
   Here are more Pagan doctrines, graven images, festivals and ceremonies coming into the early church. This is a list of the doctrines of the pagan sun gods and the corruption that was brought into the early church. Take a look and you can see how false doctrines and corruption entered the early church in this comparison: Catholics are Pagans | Christian . Expert
   
   
   
   1. The Midsummer festival of the Pagan was held on June 24 of each year.
   The Nativity of St. John is held every year on June 24 by Papal Rome.
   2. The assumption of Semiramus who became the mother godess of all Pagans.
   The assumption of Mary, who became worshipped as the mother of God rather than just a good woman.
   3. The mother goddess was given the title, and worshipped as the Queen of Heaven. Jer. 7:18
   The Virgin Mary is given the title, and worshipped as the Queen of Heaven by Papal Rome.
   4.The "Queen of Heaven" is wrath subduer of the Pagan god.
   Mary, "Queen of Heaven" subdues the wrath of Christ and His Father against sinners.
   5. Cakes decorated to the goddess with a "+" drawn on it. Jer. 44:17,19
   Hot cross buns are backed for Mary in most Roman Catholic churches
   6. 40 days fasting before Easter for Tammuz, Ezek. 8:14
   The fast of 40 days (Lent) before Easter is doctrine with no scripture to support it.
   7. Sexual festival of Easter. Ezek 8:16
   The Roman Catholic
   church initiated the sexual festival of Easter first in Christiandom.
   8. The resurrection of Tammuz on Easter, and the procession of graven images during Easter holy week
   All Roman Catholic churches parade partake in processions of graven images of Jesus, Mary, and Peter, and of the saints during Easter week
   9. Veneration of graven images of Baal, Ishtar, Tammuz and lesser gods in the heavens
   All Roman Catholic churches venerate graven images of Jesus, Mary, Peter, and of the "lesser" saints in the heavens.
   10. The belief of the constant immortality of the soul, and burning place of eternal torment.
   Rome teaches the belief of immortality of the soul and a burning place of eternal torment.
   11. Pagans believed in the doctrine of purgatory.
   Papal Rome teaches the doctrine of purgatory.
   12. The belief of the dead visiting the living on a certain day each year. A feast is then held for all the dead on first day of November.(Called all souls day).
   Papal Rome teaches they must hold a festival for the dead on all souls day held Nov. 2, and all saints day held Nov. 1 of each year.
   13. Burning candles to the gods Jer 11:17; Ezek 8:11.
   Papal Rome, has the people burn candles in their "masses".
   14. Chants and repetitive prayers. Beaded prayer chains.
   Papal Rome uses chants and the beaded prayer chains.(Rome calls the chant "Gregorian chant" and the beaded chained "Rosary").
   15. Pagans wear amulets and idols to scare away evil spirits.
   Roman Catholicism teaches the wearing of crucifixes and medals as a method of protection. The scapular is proof of that fact.
   16. Pagan's would paint the child Tammuz and his mother Semiramus with the glory of the Sun around their heads.
   Rome paints the child Jesus and his mother Mary with halos of the Sun around their heads.
   19. Pagan's performed infant baptism, and the sprinkling of holy water.
   Papal Rome practices infant baptism, as well as the sprinkling of holy water.
   20. Pagans taught Necromancy (Talking to the dead).
   Papal Rome teaches Mysticism (Novenas/prayers to the dead).
   21. The first day of the week kept sacred to honor the sun god Mithra. The name of the day was changed to "SUN"day .
   Papal Rome admitted they changed the Sabbath from day 7 to day one in honor of "SUN"day.
   22. The title Pontifex Maximus was given to the chief head of the pagan Babylonian system of idolatry.
   The title Pontifex Maximus is the main title of the Popes of Rome.
   23. Pagan gods (Janus and Cybele) were believed to be holders of the keys to Heaven and Hell.
   The pope claims to have the keys of Peter or Heaven and Hell within his clutches.
   24. The Pagan high priest king is believed to be the incarnate of the Sun god.
   The Pope proclaims to be Jesus Christ in the flesh on Earth........

 

Need to come out of Babylon, and its clear what her teachings are...

 

Well lets see what history shows...Cult of Roman Catholicism

 

He was doing their bidding so not much to debate, Papal Rome and its power was sweeping through the empire and he bent to their influence.

 

Where is he today, gone. But now look at the power that persecutes and wars against the saints and continues to the end. This is Babylon with its pagan rites and sacraments full of the wine which overflows in its cup of iniquity. Only the Roman Catholic Church fills this entity and continues its apostasy till it meets its destruction at the wrath of God at the end.

 

Here is a good explanation..."
As Satan used the Roman Empire - particularly King Herod, Pontius Pilate and Nero, as well as many others - to put Christ to death and kill many of God's people, he, like a chameleon, changed his disguise once again after Western Rome's fall, but this time, he kept the same Roman roots. The "wilderness" (Rev. 12:6), symbolizing this 1260-year period, is also referred to as the "great tribulation" (Matt 24:21) - a time when millions of God's true people were martyred for refusing to follow the dictates of the Roman Church. The Bible accurately prophesied that the papal power, as symbolized by the "little horn" in Daniel 7:8, 20, 21 and the "leopard-bodied beast" in Revelation 13:2, would "make war with the saints." Only one "religious" organization has been responsible for more persecutions and deaths of faithful Bible-believing Christians than any other sect in history - The Holy Roman Catholic Church!
"Step by step, the Roman Empire (the dragon) did indeed give its power, throne, and great authority [Revelation 13:2] to the Catholic Church...A climax came in 538, when the armies of the Empire [the unfallen Eastern division] drove the Arian Ostrogoths out of Rome. By 538, therefore, the 1260 years could begin." (God Cares, Vol.2, p.328). "In the sixth century the papacy had become firmly established. Its seat of power was fixed in the imperial city, and the bishop of Rome was declared to be the head over the entire church. Paganism had given place to the papacy. The dragon had given to the beast 'his power, and his seat, and great authority.' Revelation 13:2. And now began the 1260 years of papal oppression foretold in the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation. Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5-7. Christians were forced to choose either to yield their integrity and accept the papal ceremonies and worship, or to wear away their lives in dungeons or to suffer death by the rack, the fagot, or the headsman's ax. Now were fulfilled the words of Jesus: 'Ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake.' Luke 21:16, 17. Persecution opened upon the faithful with greater fury than ever before, and the world became a vast battlefield. For hundreds of years the church of Christ found refuge in seclusion and obscurity. Thus says the prophet: 'The woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three-score days.' Revelation 12:6.
"The accession of the Roman Church to power marked the beginning of the Dark Ages. As her power increased, the darkness deepened. Faith was transferred from Christ, the true foundation, to the pope of Rome. Instead of trusting in the Son of God for forgiveness of sins and for eternal salvation, the people looked to the pope, and to the priests and prelates to whom he delegated authority. They were taught that the pope was their earthly mediator and that none could approach God except through him; and, further, that he stood in the place of God to them and was therefore to be implicitly obeyed. A deviation from his requirements was sufficient cause for the severest punishment to be visited upon the bodies and souls of the offenders. Thus the minds of the people were turned away from God to fallible, erring and cruel men, nay, more, to the prince of darkness himself, who exercised his power through them. Sin was disguised in a garb of sanctity. When the Scriptures are suppressed, and man comes to regard himself as supreme, we need look only for fraud, deception, and debasing iniquity. With the elevation of human laws and traditions was manifest the corruption that ever results from setting aside the law of God."
"Those were days of peril for the church of Christ. The faithful standard-bearers were few indeed. Though the truth was not left without witnesses, yet at times it seemed that error and superstition would wholly prevail, and true religion would be banished from the earth. The gospel was lost sight of, but the forms of religion were multiplied and the people were burdened with rigorous exactions."
"They were taught not only to look to the pope as their mediator, but to trust to works of their own to atone for sin. Long pilgrimages, acts of penance, the worship of relics, the erection of churches, shrines, and altars, the payment of large sums to the church - these and many similar acts were enjoined to appease the wrath of God or to secure His favor; as if God were like men, to be angered at trifles, or pacified by gifts or acts of penance!
"Notwithstanding that vice prevailed, even among the leaders of the Roman Church, her influence seemed steadily to increase. About the close of the eighth century, papists put forth the claim that in the first ages of the church the bishops of Rome had possessed the same spiritual power which they now assumed. To establish this claim, some means must be employed to give it a show of authority; and this was readily suggested by the father of lies. Ancient writings were forged by monks. Decrees of councils before unheard of were discovered, establishing the universal supremacy of the pope from the earliest times. And a church that had rejected the truth greedily accepted these deceptions."...https://www.benabraham.com/html/1260-day_prophecy_and_the_papacy.html

 

Why don't you check the Catholics themselves..
In the 1876 book, "The Faith of Our Fathers," James Cardinal Gibbons, the Catholic archbishop of Baltimore, agreed the shift to Sunday was not based on the Bible, but was solely the work of the Catholic Church...
"You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify," Gibbons wrote.

 

The authority of the Pope is not from scripture, but can be shown to be from another origin and authority.The College of Cardinals, with the Pope given authority at its head, is just the counterpart of the Pagan College of Pontiffs, with its "Pontifex Maximus," or "Sovereign Pontiff," which had existed in Rome from the earliest times, and which is known to have been framed on the model of the grand original Council of Pontiffs at Babylon.

The College of Pontiffs (Collegium Pontificum) came from the religion of the original Council of Pontiffs at Babylon, was then established in ancient Rome and the Pontifex Maximus (Latin, literally: "greatest pontiff") again established as the high priest of the pagan religion. This was the most important position in the ancient Roman religion as it had been in Babylon.

One of the things history show about the ascendancy of the papacy is that the church of Rome promotes the pope as the "Pontifex Maximus" or, Supreme Pontiff. The title Pontifex Maximus is mentioned numerous times by the early church fathers (particularly by Tertullian), but it was not applied to a Christian bishop. The early church fathers say that the Pontifex Maximus was the "King of Heathendom", the high priest of the pagan mystery religion of Rome. The Pontifex Maximus was an imperial office, usually held by the Emperor himself, which made one the "chief priest" of the Roman "state cult."

In 63 B.C., Julius Caesar had himself elected Supreme Pontiff and became emperor of Rome and vested the office of Roman emperor with the priestly powers and functions of the Babylonian Pontiff (Babylon Mystery Religion, p. 80). Augustus kept the tradition of the combined offices, and the title Pontifex Maximus was used by the Roman Caesars as illustrated on a Roman coin depicting the image of Augustus Caesar (27 B.C.-14 A.D.) with his title "Pont. Max.," which is an abbreviation of Pontifex Maximus. It is well known that Domitian required himself to be addressed as dominus et deus [“Lord and God”]. (Hemer, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting, 85-86.) The Roman title "Pontifex Maximus" was rendered in Greek inscriptions and literature of the time as literally, "high priest or by a more literal translation and order of words as literally, "greatest high priest".

 

The Roman Catholic Church is based on the old pagan Roman beliefs and they have brought it in slowly till almost every part is in this apostate church...

"The Babylonian system of worship has essentially been maintained even is hidden as mysterys or ceremonies or otherwise to modern day and can be seen in some form or another. The ancient Chaldeans worshipped a pantheon of male and female gods representing the sun god and there were largely three aspects to this system of sun worship, representing the father, mother, and the son. These were the god Bel or Merodach, Ninus the son, who was also worshipped as Tammuz, and the female goddess Rhea who was also worshipped as Ishtar, Astarte, or Beltis representing the mother. She was also referred to as the ‘queen of heaven’, and the ‘wrath subduer’.

The Greeks had pick up and adopt the Babylonian gods and the Greek Doura (the Greek temple in Mesopotamia) freely admitted the gods of Babylon. The foreign gods were given or take Greek names" (Tarn, ibid., pp. 301, 302).

Speaking of this Babylonian system, Dr. Cumont remarks:

'The native religions retained all their prestige and independence. In their ancient sanctuaries that took rank with the richest and most famous in the world, a powerful clergy continued to practise ancestral devotions according to barbarian rites, and frequently liturgy, everywhere performed with scrupulous respect.. (Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism, p. 22).

 

The Greeks picked up the Babylonian worship and carried to completion Alexander the Greats project of restoring Bel’s temple at Babylon and re-founded Nebo’s temple at Borsippa, and many pagan temples where restored as the Babylonian religion became dominant among the Greeks. The Babylonian gods took Greek names, as we see the Greek name of their idol was Zeus Olympus, but it was clearly the old Mesopotamian sun-god.

Speaking of Antioch, the Seleucid capital, and the religious motives which governed the region, Cumont says:

There can be no doubt that Babylonian doctrines exercised decisive influence on this gradual metamorphosis and this latest phase of Semitic religion. The SELEUCID PRINCES OF ANTIOCH showed as great a deference to the science of the Babylonian clergy as the Persian Achaemenids had done before them. We find Seleucus Nicator (the first king) consulting these official soothsayers (i.e. Chaldeans) about the propitious hour for founding Seleucia on the Tigris....The cities of Syria often stamp on their coins certain signs of the zodiac to mark the fact that they stood under their patronage. (Astrology and Religion, pp. 80, 81).

By the second century the Roman Empire annexed Mesopotamia to its rule, and the Babylonian system moved westward. Under the Empire many of the conquered people were transported to Rome as slaves and took their religions directly with them.

The Chaldean astrology, of which the Syrian priests were enthusiastic disciples, had furnished them (the Romans) with the elements of a scientific theology (Cumont, Oriental Religions, p. 199). And the "Babylonian sun-worship" and the mystery religions became the official religions of Rome.