Hello Steve,

>SA>======================================================================
>SA>Bush's blood lust, his repeated commitment to Christian beliefs, and
>SA>his constant references to "evil doers," in the eyes of
many devout
>SA>Catholic leaders, bear all the hallmarks of the one warned about in
>SA>the Book of Revelations - the anti- Christ.

>LL>Most Catholics do not follow the same logic, since
>LL>"dispensationalism" is a Protestant concept.

SA>Quite so, and while the Catholics I come in contact with have little
SA>knowledge of prophecy or interest in it (much like everyone else I
SA>know), there is a powerful current within Catholicism which drives
SA>it to convert the world and bring about an "Age of Mary". It sees
SA>Mary as conquering, though not militarily[?], and has parallels with
SA>things like the Project For The New American Century.

While "cult" can have a positive connotation, such as the "cult of
Fatima" or the "cult of Lourdes", it can also have a very negative
connotation, as in the case where some Catholics misuse religion
as a means of converting others to their particular point of view.

SA>E.g. the [apparition of] Mary is reported to have said at Fatima:
SA>"In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph; the Holy Father will
SA>consecrate Russia to me, it will be converted and a certain period
SA>of peace will be granted to the world."
SA>["The Woman Shall Conquer", by Don Sharkey - has Imprimatur and
SA>Nihil Obstat 1952]

The cult of Fatima is not forced on those who do not believe.  And
no other cult is.  However, some Catholics try to impose their views
on others, including on other Catholics.  Recently, the third part
of the secret of Fatima has been released by the Vatican.  Pope John
Paul II had his righthand man, Ratzinger, write an interpretation of
that portion of the secret.  At the end of that interpretation,
Ratzinger said very specifically that it was not an official
interpretation, only an individual interpretation.  Others, Catholic
and non-Catholic alike, could interpret things any way they want.
Also, no Catholic is forced to believe the apparitions of Mary as
being real events.  Some believe, others do not.

SA>The current Pope certainly was instrumental, with Reagan & Gorbachev,
SA>in bringing about the end of the Soviet Union.

Religion had much more to do with it than politics.  The Cold War had
gone on for decades, with no thaw occurring until JP II came along.
Coincidence?  Or a deliberate plan by the Vatican?

SA>It goes on "Saints and mystics tell us that a glorious age is coming
SA>in which the Blessed Virgin will be recognized by men as their Queen.
SA>This will be the Age of Mary."

That would be an opinion stated by the author, not being any part of
the text of the secret of Fatima.  What is meant by the "Age of Mary"
is open to question.  Some Catholics want the pope to name Mary as
Co-Mediatrix (kind of like co-ruler with Jesus).  Most Catholics take
an entirely different view, regarding Mary as important but not equal
with God.

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