Are we as a country busy losing our identity? I recently also noted that in the Western Cape, pro-Palestine teachings are said to be taught at schools- this was covered extensively by podcaster Byron Sheperd on YouTube. Since he is a very unbiased person who always presents facts before lies, I tend to follow him regularly.

The moment the state and the church are merged, we are going to have serious problems. This is not say that Christianity cannot be criticized or tested, but since when is the state, which we all know is corrupt to the core, allowed to regulate or limit the expansion of the freedom-loving Christian faith? Christ teaches us in His Word that we must love our enemies and turn the other cheek, and when His disciples ask Him how many times one should forgive, He answered: 7 times 70. In other words, Christian teaching is not based upon subverting other human beings, dominating other people groups or using force in any way, to attain certain outcomes.

When we look at the UK today, it has become unrecognizable. Why? Because Kier Starmer, the prime minister, decided to flood the streets of London with illegal immigrants- much like Biden did in 2020- many from Muslim countries, despite living in a country built upon Judeo-Christian values, like SA. Despite this, we still do not see Islam, for instance, being regulated as much as Christianity in SA. Why is this? Especially in light of the Bondi Beach tragedy that took place last year in Australia, another peace-loving nation, it is almost unthinkable that the majority of South Africans, who practice some level of Christianity, must stand by idly whilst our government plays power games and pretends to know what is best for us!

As a Christian believer myself, I cannot help but express deep concern for the lack of pushback from my fellow believers in the face of a clear and obvious onslaught on our faith, or so it seems.
Ultimately, it should be our choice about which faith or religion we would like to practice. There are many bad examples of pastors, evangelists, teachers and other religious leaders from other faiths, but this does not mean that the State now has a license to over-regulate our churches! If the ANC, or the GNU for that matter, had any moral authority or acted in a way which instilled trust in our citizens, maybe then they could’ve had a say, but as for my family and I – we will never be regulated by the State! Especially not by our banana government!

The post Why Regulate Christianity So Much? appeared first on Alt News Network.

As a Christian, I always knew that Israel was a chosen nation of people who were supposed to reflect God to the world and have dominion over the Earth, since the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all from the lineage of Christ Jesus. Jacob’s name was even changed to.’ Israel, which means “LET GOD PREVAIL.” It is only until now that I have had to take time and reflect and ask myself who Israel really is. Are they just Arabs who come from the lineage of a very holy man, the Son of God? Or perhaps they are bearded men with olive skin who all look like Jesus and speak in Hebrew? We all have these assumptions of who God’s chosen people are, yet we never ask ourselves, What was the purpose of God creating man and woman in His likeness and image? Was it to see who would overpower whom over a piece of land? I don’t think so. Think a bit deeper!

Then there’s the issue of what it means to be a Jew or a Gentile. For those who don’t know, in the Old Testament of the Bible, the Jews were known to be the ones who, by birthright, automatically qualified as God’s people, yet their hearts were filled with bitterness, like a stone. They lacked having a true relationship with God; hence, they got caught up in religious activities, much like some other religions today require their followers to do, and thus, the birth and the life of Jesus, the Messiah, God’s one and only Son, brought about a massive change—some would call it ‘going against the grain’—but’ He had truly flipped the script.

Performing miracles, challenging the so-called Biblical experts, the Pharisees and Sadducees, by answering their most difficult questions with His own questions. This caused a huge rift amongst the people of that time, and even today, we have Jews living in Israel who still hold onto the idea of an Almighty God; yet, they do not believe, like many today, that Jesus is the Messiah. They still believe in Old Testament rituals and earning their way to the Father through works. Gentiles, on the other hand, believe in Jesus without any Jewish birthright or without being from the lineage of Christ.

The point I am making is this: whilst we argue about Israel ‘stealing’ the land in Gaza and apparently are complicit in a ‘genocide,’ have we ever asked ourselves this question: was Israel really established in 1948, or have they always been God’s chosen people? The answer to this question has finally hit me—it is not the people who physically live in Israel today, alone, but all those who believe in God the Father and have acknowledged the Son, Jesus Christ, as Saviour. We are getting fixated on people who occupy land in the Middle East, whilst God has been trying to teach us that only through a relationship with Him can we be saved. We are all missing the point!

If you ask anyone, can Israel be destroyed? … The answer is an emphatic no. The real Israel that we read about in the Word of God is not modern-day Israel, but those who believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God’s Kingdom will reign forever. It will not and cannot be stopped.

The post Are We All Wrong About Israel? appeared first on Alt News Network.

The conference, themed “Pilgrims of Hope, Builders of Peace,” aims to promote inter-religious harmony and address pressing global issues such as migration.

Francis emphasised the value of unity amidst diversity, urging participants to view their traditions as enriching gifts from God. He called for mutual respect and solidarity, highlighting the Mediterranean region as a symbol of peace and fraternity.

However, these comments diverge from traditional Catholic doctrine, which asserts the exclusive role of the Catholic Church in achieving salvation. According to the Baltimore Catechism and teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas, salvation is channelled through the Church.

NEW: #PopeFrancis on inter-religious dialogue:
“Every religion is a way to arrive at God. There are different languages to arrive at God but God is God for all.
But my God is more important than your god, is that true?
There is only 1 God & each of has a language to arrive at… pic.twitter.com/TMHRDjEuJ9

— Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 (@MLJHaynes) September 13, 2024

Critics, including Bishop Athanasius Schneider, have voiced concerns that Francis’ statements undermine the unique role of Jesus Christ as the sole Saviour. Schneider referenced biblical teachings to argue that true worship is directed solely to the Triune God.

This isn’t the first time Francis has sparked controversy with his views on religious pluralism. His 2019 Abu Dhabi declaration and recent comments in Singapore have drawn criticism for suggesting that all religions offer paths to God, a stance viewed by some as contradicting core Christian beliefs.

As the debate unfolds, Francis’ remarks continue to provoke intense discussion among Catholics worldwide, with many grappling with the theological implications of his statements.

NEW – #PopeFrancis today to an inter-religious group of young people, repeated his theme from Singapore:

“Unity is not uniformity, and the diversity of our cultural and religious identities is a gift from God. Unity in diversity.”

Full text: https://t.co/FXpJ3UIc3R pic.twitter.com/QaiheUXyIH

— Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 (@MLJHaynes) September 17, 2024

The post Pope Francis Provokes Debate: ‘Diversity of Religious Identities is a Gift of God’ appeared first on Alt News Network.