Nr. 260: IS ULF EKMAN AND THE FAITH MOVEMENT BECOME CATHOLIC?

Nr. 260: IS ULF EKMAN AND THE FAITH MOVEMENT BECOME CATHOLIC? Ulf Ekman studied theology at once, now he goes even further in his apostasy. Now he will be second only to the Pope in Rome, how bad will it be before the people of God wake up?

Pastor Ulf Ekman love affair with the Catholic Church has been going on for some years now. I remember as a member of Faith Movement preacher organization in 2003 received the theological pamphlet "Keryx" where Ekman wrote an article about the Virgin Mary, "Maria - All generations shall praise her" hot this article. Since then, the love affair between Ulf Ekman and the Catholic Church thrived on. An expression of this has been a frequent visitor of the Catholic Charles Whitehead at Word of Life. Of course there are many fine Christians who are Catholics and I have absolutely nothing against Catholics, but the Catholic Church as a religious system must still be allowed to be critical. Basic because the Catholic Church is not based on the Bible alone, but equate the tradition of writing. When Martin Luther stood out was his battle cry: "Sola Scriptura," Scripture alone! This has always been the battle cry of the reformers. A battle cry that many of them had to pay with his life - put to death just by the Catholic Church. As evangelical Christians we must never forget the high price the reformers had to pay for that future generations would be free from the Catholic Church's monopoly and the medieval darkness. Word of Life and the Catholic Church has an important thing in common: they love hierarchies. It is therefore perhaps not surprising that these two systems seem to "have found" each other. What strict religious hierarchies leads to can find out for yourself by studying the Catholic Church's history to date - with emphasis on the Inquisition. There are very thin basis in the NT for such strict hierarchical systems such as Word of Life and the Catholic Church practice. Although I can simply not find the famous "pyramid" in the New Testament. The well-known social psychologist Philip Zimbardo describes hierarchy as "the origin of most of the evil." He is known worldwide for his studies of how people act in a hierarchy. The strict hierarchies bring out the worst in us humans it seems to rule no doubt. In the religious movement, which I was involved in from 1988 to 2003 appeared Ulf Ekman as "the man with the answer key." "What do pastor Ulf about this?", People would always know - whether it was a question of learning issues or problems in the church. For me as an Evangelical Christian is no longer Ulf Ekman or any other minister who is the "man of affairs," it is God's Words of affairs. In the religious movement of affairs seems to be what Ulf Ekman at all times be aware of and focus on. This is quite similar to the Catholic Church's doctrine of "papal infallibility in doctrinal." In October 2011 traveled Ulf Ekman with 40 Swedish and Norwegian ministers and preachers on the study visit to Rome. "A journey in the device mark" as it was called. Guide on the trip was Catholic Bengt Malmgren. In the pictures from the trip seen several Norwegian preachers. In an interview with Vatikanradion - the pope and the church's voice in dialogue with the world - boasts Ulf Ekman of the trip. In particular, he is thrilled that he and his team just sat 12 feet from Pope Benedict 16 While the pope spoke at St. Peter's Square, while many Catholics from South America who had saved money for several years to be able to Rome ended up much further behind! What happened when the religious movement's preachers get VIP treatment by the Vatican? In the interview with Vatikanradion Ekman says that "unity is the only way." Ecumenism and unity is very positive, but why it is primarily the Catholic Church as Ekman works with? What about the Orthodox Church, the Baptists, the Coptic Church, Methodists, Free Church, mission related, and all the others? Are they might not be exciting and powerful enough to captivate Ulf Ekman? As a person raised in the 1970's and 80's, I'm probably influenced to a greater extent of late - modernism than postmodernism. When I went to school we were encouraged to ask critical questions, "Your thought is free" was an important value that our teachers at the school gave us. Social Criticism, religious criticism and dissidence was seen as positive, and everyone had a right to voice their opinion. Our society was undoubtedly more free and democratic then than it is now. In 2012 we will all be politically correct and the demand for conformity is higher than for many decades. Religious Criticism has been taboo, because we are prejudiced and critical. But are we really? It seems that we have received many more "sacred cows" than 20 years ago. The climate has changed and the requirement to submit to authority has become stronger. In 2011 did the Catholic Church Presidency of the Christian Council of Norway. The Catholic Church would obviously like to take the leader jersey and take the lead on behalf of the Christians in Norway. I will in this article explain why I do not want to make the genuflection of the Catholic Church. I like to embrace a nice Catholic, but the Catholic Church as a religious system, I can not embrace. I therefore distinguish sharply between the people and the system - only the latter that I criticize in this article. I will briefly give you 8 good reasons why I can not embrace the Catholic Church 1. The doctrine There are huge doctrinal differences between evangelical Christianity and katolismen. For evangelical Christians, "Sola Scriptura" - the Bible only a fundamental principle stemming from the Reformation. Catholics equate tradition with the Bible and thus is no longer the Bible highest authority. "Solus Christus" - Jesus Christ alone, is a fundamental principle of the gospel, while Catholics argues Mary worship and saint worship as essential. The Catholic sacraments are means of grace to partake of salvation, while evangelical Christians believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus. 2. Pope and the hierarchy In Katolismen the pope, the bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter and "Jesus Christ's representative on earth." Since Jesus is God, is the logical consequence that the Pope is "God's representative on earth." This elevated position gives him almost to a half-god in the eyes of Catholics. Pope is appointed for life, can not be set aside and is infallible in doctrinal. Is it healthy that one person has so much power? The Pope addressed as a "his holiness", but according to the Bible, all Christians as saints. 3. The story The Catholic Church is probably the current organization with the most bloody history. The famous psychologist Phillip Zimbardo argues in his book "The Lucifer Effect - How good people Become evil" that it was the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages "invented" the systematic torture. They discovered that you could torture people to death to get them to confess guilt (confession). The scary thing is that they carried out the torture with the best intentions, they were convinced that they served God and fought evil by doing these terrible acts. Religion can make people crazy. During the Inquisition, thousands of Jews, Christians and infidels killed. Along with countless others were reformers Jan Hus and William Tyndale burned alive. I agree with Ulf Ekman in that it is a major concern of the Christian story is endless! As evangelical Christians we must never forget the high price the reformers had to pay for that future generations would be free from the Catholic Church's monopoly and the medieval darkness. 4. Jesuitterordenen and "the black pope" Jesuitterordenen is a militant Catholic missionary order that was founded to combat the Reformation through the so-called "Counter-Reformation." They are known to practice the Machiavellian doctrine that "the end justifies the means". Through infiltration of Protestant - Protestant churches and religious communities should these be broken down from the inside. This was one of the reasons that the Jesuits, according to the Constitution of 1814 "did not have access to the kingdom" the head of the Order called "the black pope" and should be one of the key people in the Vatican. Until our day has the order been accused of liquidation of "troublesome" people, which probably is true. 5. Freemasonry There is probably a link between the powerful Masonic Order and the Catholic Church. Pope John Paul II carried Masonic ring as he lay on the lit de parade in 2005. The Pope is probably Masonic leader. One of Frimurerordenens mottos is: "Out of chaos comes order." 6. Sexual abuse In an environment where celibacy and sexual abstinence is lifted up as important ideals may be below the surface ose of sexual frustration and sexual tension. Sometimes these can lead to crime and sexual offenses against other people - including children and minors. There have been many abuse cases involving the Catholic Church. Not least, boarding schools, monasteries and choir have been venues for such abuse. It is nevertheless encouraging that the Catholic Church itself has taken hold of this great problem. The Bible teaches that marriage is good and natural, it is God's will for human beings and sexual life has its place there. 7. Ecumenism and unity with other religions I am in favor of unity and ecumenism among Christian churches, but for the Catholic Church involves ecumenism and unity also unity with other religions and cults. From 1980 - century, there has been extensive syncretism (mixing religion) and the Vatican have been central to this work. In 1986 the Pope invited all religions, including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and nature religions to practice their religions in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The long term goal of this work is likely to build a world religion that everyone must accept. If that day comes is religious freedom really at risk. Unfortunately, that ecumenism and unity can sometimes end up in a demand for conformity and submission. When two or more parties come together, there is always the strongest party will dominate the relationship the most. "All people pray to the same God." This is a view that both the Masonic Order and Vatikantet advocate. Former U.S. President George W Bush was a warm advocate of this idea. 8. Views on Salvation Perhaps the main difference is in their view of how people are saved. For Catholics, membership in the "mother church" essential to salvation, of which the doctrine of "no salvation outside the church." To partake of salvation, one must partake of the sacraments, that the sacraments. One must, in other words to work on his gudsliv to partake of grace. This creates a kind of "religious work" where good works are essential for salvation. This stands in sharp contrast to the gospel of freedom that Jesus has done everything done for us! We are saved by grace through faith - not by their own works (Eph. 2:8). Salvation happens when we believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, and confess him as Lord with his mouth (Rom 10,9.10) ' Tore Danielsen Former pastor of Faith movement, Kristiansand Related links: http://the-heavenly-blog.janchristensen.net/2012/01/nr-226-why-is-so-many-pentecostals-and.html http://the-heavenly-blog.janchristensen.net/2012/01/nr-229-pentecostals-and-charismatics.html