The Battle for the Soul of Man

 

From the Vatican: Pope Francis meets with US President Joseph Biden

A Holy See Press Office communiqué said that during the cordial talks, they dwelt on their common commitment to the protection and care of the planet, the health situation and the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the issue of refugees, and how to provide assistance for migrants.

They also discussed human rights, including the right to freedom and conscience.  I am guessing that there was a special carve-out on these rights regarding forced jabs.  No freedom or conscience here, not according to these two.

No mention of the hottest topic among American Catholics: abortion and communion.  At least not by the Vatican:

ROME, Oct 29 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday that Pope Francis had told him he should keep receiving Communion, amid fierce debate in the U.S. Church over Biden's position on abortion.

As noted, the Vatican doesn’t mention this.  But, to be clear, the Vatican did not mention otherwise – in other words, no mention by the Vatican that Biden’s position on abortion is a problem.  But the Reuters piece has a picture of a joyously smiling pope and a smiling-as-best-as-he-can senile president right at the top of the article.

Asked if the topic of abortion came up during a long meeting with pope in the Vatican earlier on Friday, Biden said no.

Well, we apparently only know this from a man who remembers little, and effectively communicates even less.  But, from what I have found, we have no statement from the Vatican.  But we have this, from CNBC:

Both the White House and Vatican statements made no direct reference to the abortion issue.

So, I will take that as the final report on the matter.  As an aside:

The Vatican said the private meeting lasted one hour and 15 minutes and then about another 15 minutes were spent for picture taking and the exchange of gifts in the presence of other members of the delegation, such as Biden’s wife, Jill.

This compared to 30 minutes for Trump and 50 minutes for Obama.  So, the man least able to logically string two words together (and whatever you believe about Trump, the winner in the incoherence race is Biden) had the longest audience.  How much mumbling can one do in 75 minutes?

Then we have this: Moldovan hierarch excommunicates those who voted for Istanbul Convention

All parliamentarians who voted in favor of the Istanbul Convention earlier this month have been excommunicated in one Moldovan Diocese.

What was the issue?

The Moldovan Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate issued a statement before the vote, calling for the government to reject the Convention, noting that while it has praiseworthy elements, it also unfortunately departs from the Biblical conception of mankind, with its problematic gender ideology.

The praiseworthy elements have to do with violence against women.  What does the actual text say about gender ideology?

Parties shall take, where appropriate, the necessary steps to include teaching material on issues such as…non-stereotyped gender roles…

… “gender” shall mean the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for women and men

Away with stereotypes means all “roles, behaviours, activities and attributes” are candidates to be considered “appropriate.”  This was the problem for the Patriarchate. 

So, the Patriarchate issued a statement, but what about actions?  Returning to the article:

And on October 18, His Eminence Archbishop Marchel of Bălți and Fălești published an address on the diocesan website, announcing his decision that all “voters of the soul-destroying law called the ‘Europe Convention’ are forbidden Holy Communion in the churches of the Diocese of Bălți and Fălești of the Orthodox Church of Moldova until Pentecost Sunday 2022.”

I have no idea if this matters at all to those who voted for the law, but it matters that a Christian authority takes such action and makes such a statement. 

Unfortunately, many deputies, including those who identify as Orthodox, are working against the Church, Abp. Machel laments: “Those employed in the service of the people barbarically ruin what the Holy Church is building, namely—THE SOUL OF MAN!”

The Bulgarian and Polish churches issued similar statements.  From Bulgaria:

Specifically, the Church opposes the Convention’s redefining of “gender” as a mere social construct, which denies the Scriptural teaching that God created mankind in His image and likeness as male and female. The Church also rejects the notion that man is himself great enough to define his own gender, in place of God. Such arrogance would only contribute to a world severely lacking in restraint, the Church believes.

The church is correct.

From Poland:

…the Polish Church writes that, in the context of the ongoing debate on the Istanbul Convention, “we would like to remind that the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church has always been guided by the thought derived from the Holy Scriptures, which state: So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them (Gen. 1:27).

“This expression teaches us to respect woman and man as the crown of God’s creation, leaving no room for any other gender,” the Church’s statement reads.

This church is also correct.

Conclusion

So, we have the pope on one hand, and these Orthodox leaders on the other.  What did Jesus have to say about this?

Matthew 7: 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

The prince of the power of the air works through such children of disobedience.

Unfortunately, only a small minority of Christian leaders understand that we are in a battle for the soul of man and the Kingdom of God; or, perhaps many do understand this, but they are working for the other side:

Ephesians 6: 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.