Some of you will have recently received a newsletter from Amazing Facts, the independent evangelistic ministry led by Doug Batchelor. In it, Batchelor discusses the moves the Papacy has been making during the last year to increase its political power and international influence:
“For centuries, Protestant denominations unanimously agreed that the Roman Catholic Church, today home to 1.2 billion Catholics, is the Antichrist described in Daniel and Revelation. They also understood that, someday, its deadly wound would heal and that it would rebuild its influence in the world’s religious, economic, social, and political arenas. And now it’s happening!”
“Let me give you just four examples …
1. Meeting with World’s Financial Titans
I was stunned when Pope Francis recently assembled 27 elite CEOs, with a combined value of $10 trillion, from America’s largest corporations to form a group dubbed the “Guardians of Inclusive Capitalism.”
Investment banker Lynn Forester de Rothschild declared, “This council will follow the warning from Pope Francis to listen to ‘the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’ and answer society’s demands for a more equitable and sustainable model of growth” (emphasis added).
2. Environmental TED Talk
On October 10, the pope was the guest of honor at a series of emergency TED talks called “Countdown,” globally streamed presentations on building a better future by cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. Francis referenced his encyclical Laudato si’, which says, “Sunday … is meant to be a day which heals our relationships with God, with ourselves, with others, and with the world.”
3. Global Compact on Education
During a special October 15 event, Francis called on “people of good will” to join his Global Compact on Education, a seven-point pact encouraging change on a global scale, with a particular focus on the youth.
4. Seeking Unity with Protestants
Then on December 4, the Vatican released an “ecumenical vademecum,” a 50-page guide for how Catholic leaders can promote unity with the broad spectrum of Protestant communities. In recent years, influential evangelicals like Rick Warren, Kenneth Copeland, and Joel Osteen have united with the papacy on various causes.
The Stage Is Set—but the Saints Are Asleep
Two thousand years ago, the apostle John wrote, “And all the world marveled and followed the beast” (Revelation 13:3).
During his seven years in office, Pope Francis has become a superstar. With his genial approach, he’s even won over secular skeptics—especially with his support of evolution and statements that seemingly pave the way for the acceptance of same-sex couples within the Catholic Church.
Now, following the recent election chaos, we have a Catholic president and a Catholic-dominated Supreme Court. And while they may be well-intentioned people, something dangerous is afoot.
"A hundred years ago, a modern prophet predicted, “The Protestant churches are in great darkness, or they would discern the signs of the times. The Roman Church is . . . employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world, to re-establish persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done” (The Great Controversy, pg. 565).
“It seems likely now that the papacy will use fear over climate change to introduce “family- and worker-friendly” laws, including a Sunday mandate—a “green Sabbath”—to allow the planet to rest. Eventually, this global rest day will be used to completely replace the true Sabbath, leading to persecution designed to silence the voice of God’s people.”
The planned website will teach truth tactfully and in love, but will not compromise on the historic teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and other Protestant churches before us, going back to the 16th Century. PapacyTruth.com will “help revive the great Protestant truths neglected by” today’s evangelicals and mainline Protestants.
We look forward to PapacyTruth.com becoming a powerful tool for evangelism, understanding Bible prophecy as historically taught by the Protestant churches, and for waking up somnolent Christians around the world.