The image shows former President Barack Obama dressed as Satan
A disturbing image of former President Barack Obama dressed as Satan has emerged online.
The image first appeared when it was uploaded to Instagram by an artist named Annemarie Hope who is known for illustrations of Satanic churches.
The photo, which appears to have been taken by hope herself, was uploaded to her profile with a caption that included the phrase "class & grace" - a term often used by Obama supporters to describe the ex-POTUS:
The image was deleted shortly after it was uploaded, but not before it was archived.
When asked why she deleted the image, Hope responded saying
Copies of the photo have now begun circling on online message boards causing a huge amount of debate.
The caption on the post used a popular Obama supporter phrase: 'Class & Grace'
Of course, the first cry from "debunkers" is that the image has been Photoshopped, so let's first investigate that theory.
To check if the image has been digitally altered from another photo, the first thing to do is is do a reverse image search to see if the original image appeared online or if there ever was an original image.
After uploading the image to Google image search and Tinyeye, the photo pulls zero results from either service, meaning, if it was altered from another image, then the original image has never been uploaded to the internet, which seems unlikely.
No evidence that the image has been tampered with.
If the image has been photoshopped as some may suggest, then it would require a very high skill set in image manipulation, that would go way beyond the typical prank image levels.
It's also unlikely that Hope would have such professional skills without a mention of it anywhere.
The fact that Miss Hope doesn't appear to have obtained this image elsewhere, and that she couldn't have faked the image, suggests that she took the photo herself.
Side by side, the person dressed as Satan looks just like Obama
Artur Davis
Aside from the striking resemblance between the person in Satanic garb and Obama, the person stood next to "Obama" appears to be Artur Davis.
Davis is an American attorney and politician who served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Alabama's 7th congressional district from 2003 to 2011.
He was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Alabama in the 2010 election.
Davis was an early supporter of Barack Obama's 2008 bid for the presidency, and one of the national co-chairs for Obama's 2008 campaign.
The image started to go viral after a discussion about it was shared on Twitter by Jordan Sather.
The photo has caused outrage as it seems to clearly depict a former US President dressed in a Satanic costume.
The photo also seems to have been uploaded with good an "innocent" intent rather than a malicious one as the person who uploaded it, Annemarie Hope, seems to be a very public Obama supporter.
The photo's uploader seems to be a proud Obama supporter.
So what is the meaning behind the outfit and what does it symbolize?
The Satanic costume seems to depict a winged hermaphrodite known as Baphomet.
The name Baphomet
The name dates back to the Inquisition and torture of the Knights Templar about 1100 who, according to French chroniclers of the Crusades, confessed to worshipping a heathen idol called Baphometh.
Some scholars believe "Baphometh" was simply a corruption of "Mahomet" - the Prophet Muhammad.
But over the years as the mystery and speculation around the Templars has grown, so too have the interpretations of the word and its meaning.
One elaborate interpretation even drove the plot in Dan Brown's historical thriller Da Vinci Code, where the word Baphomet is decoded and translated to mean "Sophia" or wisdom.
The Satanic costume seems to depict a winged hermaphrodite known as Baphomet
The best-known modern image of Baphomet was drawn in 1856 by the French occultist Eliphas Levi, in his book Transcendental Magic: Its Doctrine and Ritual.
He envisaged a winged hermaphrodite with a torch between his horns and a pentagram on his forehead.
Its arms bore the Latin words SOLVE (separate) and COAGULA (join together) - the powers of "binding and loosing" usurped from God.
Levi's drawing was the inspiration for the Satanic Temple's new monument.
"It contains all these binary opposites - above and below, part animal, part human. Male and female," says Satanic Temple Lucien Greaves.
"It embodies opposites and celebrates contrasts."
Two-finger salute
Two fingers on the right-hand point up and two on the left-hand point down, meaning "as above, so below".
These words and the accompanying gesture are familiar to occultists
They are drawn from the ancient works of Hermes Trismegistus, whose writings became popular during the Renaissance and Reformation.
The phrase is also used in relation to science, the universe, and God, but Levi wrote that, by making the gesture, his Baphomet "expresses the perfect harmony of mercy with justice".
A Satanic Baphomet statue shown with two young children
The children depicted standing next to Baphomet are awaiting sacrifice as a "gift" to Satan.
"The goat's face has a neutral expression. It's not demonic, ferocious or monstrous - as people make it out to be - if you look at without the cultural baggage."
But do children really have nothing to be afraid of from Satan?
"I don't think children approaching the monument will find anything horrific about it," says Greaves.
"For the most part, children are forced into religion."
Obama and Satan
So, if the photo does indeed show former US President Barack Obama dressed in Satanic garb, what does it mean?
It seems unlikely that he would do it as a joke or as fancy dress for Halloween, due to the obvious connotations.
Perhaps the image was deleted from Instagram as it was taken at a very private event.
With recent revelations from the Inspector General's report on the investigation into Hillary Clinton, it appears that the previous administration kept a lot of information hidden from the public.
Perhaps their private activities have been covered-up in equal measures too...
Roe v
Wade includes other decisions that protect access to contraception and
enable same-sex relationships. May open the door to revisit. marriage.
In
a 6-3 decision on Friday, the court ruled in favor of Mississippi in
the case of Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization, banning most
miscarriage after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Allowed and rejected Roev.
Wade.
Judge Clarence Thomas writes that the same reason behind
the reason for not having the right to abort can be used in other cases.
Judge Samuel Arito wrote in a majority opinion that this
decision "should be understood to cast doubt on precedents unrelated to
abortion." In his agreed opinion, Thomas agreed.
He added that
the court should reconsider other cases that fall under the precedent of
the court's previous legitimate proceedings.
"Therefore, in the
future, we need to revisit all the precedents of this court's
substantive legitimate proceedings, including Griswold, Lawrence, and
Obergefell," writes Thomas. ..
These three groundbreaking cases
mentioned by Thomas, which protected access to contraception and allowed
same-sex relationships and marriages, rely on the same legal reasons as
Law.
At Roe, the right to personal privacy protected by the Due Process clause included the right to decide whether to give birth.
Thomas writes that "substantially legitimate process decisions are" clearly wrong. "
He added: The rights created by the litigation of our substantive legitimate process. '
' The recognized correct Roe and Casey are not independent, "writes Judges Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
"On
the contrary, courts have linked it to physical integrity, family
relationships, and other resolved freedoms, including childbirth, for
decades, most notably pregnancy. The right to end is directly derived
from the right to buy and use contraceptives. "
Fox
News' chief legal correspondent Shannon Bream provides details on the
Supreme Court's ruling that reverses the long-standing precedent on
abortion in America.
This
week’s Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health
Organization is the greatest judicial reversal since Brown v. Board of
Education overturned racial segregation in schools.
This
is not primarily a victory for Republicans or conservatives. It is a
resounding victory for millions of yet-to-be-born children who will now
get to live out their God-ordained lives.
A girl holds a pro-life sign in front of the Supreme Court after the historic ruling overturning Roe vs. Wade.
(Fox News Digital)
Friday’s
ruling is a sober reminder of the 50 years of havoc that Roe v. Wade
left in its wake. Sixty-three million children have been murdered in the
womb since 1973. Without question abortion has been the single greatest
moral stain on our nation in our history.
As
momentous as the ruling in Dobbs is, however, we need to remember that
this is not an outright national ban on abortion. By overturning Roe v. Wade,
the Court has simply returned the authority to regulate abortion back
to the state level. There will be an intense battle waged in all 50
states over this hot button issue. The pro-life cause has won an
important battle, but the war is far from over. Those who value life
cannot afford to become weary in well-doing.
The
overturning of Roe is also an affirmation of the right and
responsibility of Christians to get involved in the political process.
There is only one reason Roe was overturned—in 2016, conservative
Christians worked together to elect Donald Trump and President Trump
kept his promise to appoint pro-life justices to the Supreme Court.
Both the left and right agree that had Hillary Clinton been elected Roe
would still be the law of the land today.
This week’s historic ruling is a reminder that elections have consequences. Elected leaders
determine policies that can influence the moral and spiritual direction
of a country. In the 1940s, German Christians (with only a few
exceptions) remained silent as Adolf Hitler rose to power.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the Supreme Court awaiting the Dobbs ruling.
(Joshua Comins/Fox News)
Thankfully,
Christians in our country have refused to remain silent about the
genocide of unborn children. Together, they effected a leadership change
that in turn resulted in a policy change that will save millions of
lives.
Jesus
called Christians to be both salt and light in Matthew 5. In Jesus’s
day, salt was a preservative. While it couldn’t prevent the decay of
meat, it could delay the decay of meat.
Similarly,
Jesus left his disciples here on Earth to delay the cultural and moral
rot in our society so that we could have more time to present the hope
and forgiveness Christ offers all people.
But for salt to do its preserving work, it has to get out of the saltshaker and penetrate the meat. Thankfully, millions of Christians got out of the pews and penetrated the political world, resulting in this week’s historic Supreme Court ruling.
Just as Christians led the way in the abolition of slavery and the fight for civil rights, Christians of this generation have been instrumental in protecting our most basic right of all---the right to life.
Dr.
Robert Jeffress is pastor of the 13,000-member First Baptist Church in
Dallas and a Fox News (FNC) contributor. His daily radio program
“Pathway to Victory” is heard on over 1,000 stations. His weekly
television program is seen in all 195 countries on more than 12,000
cable systems stations.
18 The
wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness
and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.20 For
since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal
power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from
what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
THE FALL OF ATHEISM — Science & Faith
There are significant turning points in the history of mankind. We are
now living in one of them. Some call it globalization and some say that
this is the genesis of the “information age.” These are true, but there
is yet a more important concept than these. Although some are unaware of
it, great advances have been made in science and philosophy in the last
20-25 years. Atheism, which has held sway over the world of science and
philosophy since the 19th century is now collapsing in an inevitable
way.
Of course, atheism, the idea of rejecting God’s
existence, has always existed from ancient times. But the rise of this
idea actually began in the 18th century in Europe with the spread and
political effect of the philosophy of some anti-religious thinkers.
Materialists such as Diderot and Baron d’Holbach proposed that the
universe was a conglomeration of matter that had existed forever and
that nothing else existed besides matter. In the 19th century, atheism
spread even farther. Thinkers such as Marx, Engels, Nietsche, Durkheim
or Freud applied atheist thinking to different fields of science and
philosophy.
The greatest support for atheism came from
Charles Darwin who rejected the idea of creation and proposed the theory
of evolution to counter it. Darwinism gave a supposedly scientific
answer to the question that had baffled atheists for centuries: “How did
human beings and living things come to be?” This theory convinced a
great many people of its claim that there was a mechanism in nature that
animated lifeless matter and produced millions of different living
species from it.
Towards the end of the 19th century,
atheists formulated a world view that they thought explained everything;
they denied that the universe was created saying that it had no
beginning but had existed forever. They claimed that the universe had no
purpose but that its order and balance were the result of chance; they
believed that the question of how human beings and other living things
came into being was answered by Darwinism. They believed that Marx or
Durkheim had explained history and sociology, and that Freud had
explained psychology on the basis of atheist assumptions.
However,
these views were later invalidated in the 20th century by scientific,
political and social developments. Many and various discoveries in the
fields of astronomy, biology, psychology and social sciences have
nullified the bases of all atheist suppositions.
In his
book, God: The Evidence, The Reconciliation of Faith and Reason in a
Postsecular World, the American scholar Patrick Glynn from the George
Washington University writes:
The past two decades of
research have overturned nearly all the important assumptions and
predictions of an earlier generation of modern secular and atheist
thinkers relating to the issue of God. Modern thinkers assumed that
science would reveal the universe to be ever more random and mechanical;
instead it has discovered unexpected new layers of intricate order that
bespeak an almost unimaginably vast master design. Modern psychologists
predicted that religion would be exposed as a neurosis and outgrown;
instead, religious commitment has been shown empirically to be a vital
component of basic mental health…
Few people seem to
realize this, but by now it should be clear: Over the course of a
century in the great debate between science and faith, the tables have
completely turned. In the wake of Darwin, atheists and agnostics like
Huxley and Russell could point to what appeared to be a solid body of
testable theory purportedly showing life to be accidental and the
universe radically contingent. Many scientists and intellectuals
continue to cleave to this worldview. But they are increasingly pressed
to almost absurd lengths to defend it. Today the concrete data point
strongly in the direction of the God hypothesis.
Science,
which has been presented as the pillar of atheist/materialist
philosophy, turns out to be the opposite. As another writer puts it,
“The strict materialism that excludes all purpose, choice and
spirituality from the world simply cannot account for the data pour in
from labs and observatories.”
In this article, we will
briefly analyze the conclusions arrived at by different branches of
science on this issue and examine what the forthcoming “post-atheist”
period will bring to humanity.
Cosmology: The Collapse of the Concept of An Eternal Universe And the Discovery of Creation
The
first blow to atheism from science in the 20th century was in the field
of cosmology. The idea that the universe had existed forever was
discounted and it was discovered that it had a beginning; in other
words, it was scientifically proved that it was created from nothing.
This
idea of an eternal universe came to the Western world along with
materialist philosophy. This philosophy, developed in ancient Greece,
stated that nothing else exists besides matter and that the universe
comes from eternity and goes to eternity. In the Middle Ages when the
Church dominated Western thought, materialism was forgotten. However in
the modern period, Western scientists and philosophers became consumed
by a curiosity about these ancient Greek origins and revived an interest
in materialism.
The first person in the modern age to
propose a materialist understanding of the universe was the renowned
German philosopher Immanuel Kant—even though he has not a materialist in
the philosophical sense of the word. Kant proposed that the universe
was eternal and that every possibility could be realized only within
this eternity. With the coming of the 19th century, it became widely
accepted that the universe had no beginning, and that there was no
moment of creation. Then, this idea, adopted passionately by dialectical
materialists such as Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, came into the 20th
century.
This idea has always been compatible with
atheism. This is because to accept that the universe had a beginning
would mean that God created it and the only way to counter this idea was
to claim that the universe was eternal, even though this claim had no
basis on science. A dogged proponent of this claim was Georges Politzer
who became widely known as a supporter of materialism and Marxism in the
first half of the 20th century through his book Principes Fondamentaux
de Philosophie (The Fundamental Principles of Philosophy). Assuming the
validity of the model of an eternal universe, Politzer opposed the idea
of a creation:
The universe was not a created object, if
it were, then it would have to be created instantaneously by God and
brought into existence from nothing. To admit creation, one has to
admit, in the first place, the existence of a moment when the universe
did not exist, and that something came out of nothingness. This is
something to which science can not accede.
By supporting
the idea of an eternal universe against that of creation, Politzer
thought that science was on his side. However, very soon, the fact that
Politzer alluded to by his words, “if it is so, we must accept the
existence of a creator”, that is, that the universe had a beginning, was
proven.
This proof came as a result of the “Big Bang” theory, perhaps the most important concept of 20th century astronomy.
The
Big Bang theory was formulated after a series of discoveries. In 1929,
the American astronomer, Edwin Hubble, noticed that the galaxies of the
universe were continually moving away from one another and that the
universe was expanding. If the flow of time in an expanding universe
were reversed, then it emerged that the whole universe must have come
from a single point. Astronomers assessing the validity of Hubble’s
discovery were faced with the fact that this single point was a
“metaphysical” state of reality in which there was an infinite
gravitational attraction with no mass. Matter and time came into being
by the explosion of this mass-less point. In other words, the universe
was created from nothing.
On the one hand, those
astronomers who are determined to cling to materialist philosophy with
its basic idea of an eternal universe, have attempted to hold out
against the Big Bang theory and maintain the idea of an eternal
universe. The reason for this effort can be seen in the words of Arthur
Eddington, a renowned materialist physicist, who said, “Philosophically,
the notion of an abrupt beginning to the present order of Nature is
repugnant to me”. But despite the fact that the Big Bang theory is
repugnant to materialists, this theory has continued to be corroborated
by concrete scientific discoveries. In their observations made in the
1960’s, two scientists, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, detected the
radioactive remains of the explosion (cosmic background radiation).
These observations were verified in the 1990’s by the COBE (Cosmic
Background Explorer) satellite.
In the face of all these facts, atheists have been squeezed into a corner. Anthony Flew, an atheist professor of
philosophy at the University of Reading and the author of Atheistic Humanism, makes this interesting confession:
Notoriously,
confession is good for the soul. I will therefore begin by confessing
that the Stratonician atheist has to be embarrassed by the contemporary
cosmological consensus. For it seems that the cosmologists are providing
a scientific proof of what St. Thomas contended could not be proved
philosophically; namely, that the universe had a beginning. So long as
the universe can be comfortably thought of as being not only without end
but also without beginning, it remains easy to urge that its brute
existence, and whatever are found to be its most fundamental features,
should be accepted as the explanatory ultimates. Although I believe that
it remains still correct, it certainly is neither easy nor comfortable
to maintain this position in the face of the Big Bang story
An
example of the atheist reaction to the Big Bang theory can be seen in
an article written in 1989 by John Maddox, editor of Nature, one of the
best-known materialist-scientific journals.
In that
article, called “Down With the Big Bang,” Maddox wrote that the Big Bang
is “philosophically unacceptable,” because “creationists and those of
similar persuasions… have ample justification in the doctrine of the Big
Bang.” He also predicted that the Big Bang “is unlikely to survive the
decade ahead.” However, despite Maddox’ hopes, Big Bang has gained
credence and many discoveries have been made that prove the creation of
the universe.
Some materialists have a relatively logical
view of this matter. For example, the English materialist physicist,
H.P. Lipson, unwillingly accepts the scientific fact of creation. He
writes:
I think …that we must…admit that the only
acceptable explanation is creation. I know that this is anathema to
physicists, as indeed it is to me, but we must not reject that we do not
like if the experimental evidence supports it.
Thus, the
fact arrived at finally by modern astronomy is this: time and matter
were brought into being by an eternally powerful Creator independent of
both of them. The eternal power that created the universe in which we
live is God who is the possessor of infinite might, knowledge and
wisdom.
Physics and Astronomy: The Collapse of the Idea of a Random Universe and The Discovery of the Anthropic Principle
A
second atheist dogma rendered invalid in the 20th century by
discoveries in astronomy is the idea of a random universe. The view that
the matter in the universe, the heavenly bodies and the laws that
determine the relationships among them has no purpose but is the result
of chance, has been dramatically discounted.
For the
first time since the 1970’s, scientists have begun to recognize the fact
that the whole physical balance of the universe is adjusted delicately
in favor of human life. With the advance of research, it has been
discovered that the physical, chemical and biological laws of the
universe, basic forces such as gravity and electro-magnetism, the
structure of atoms and elements are all ordered exactly as they have to
be for human life. Western scientists have called this extraordinary
design the “anthropic principle”. That is, every aspect of the universe
is designed with a view to human life.
We may summarize the basics of the anthropic principle as follows:
The
speed of the first expansion of the universe (the force of the Big Bang
explosion) was exactly the velocity that it had to be. According to
scientists’ calculations, if the expansion rate had differed from its
actual value by more than one part in a billion billion, then the
universe would either have recollapsed before it ever reached its
present size or else have splattered in every direction in a way never
to unite again. To put it another way, even at the first moment of the
universe’s existence there was a fine calculation of the accuracy of a
billion billionth. The four physical forces in the universe
(gravitational force, weak nuclear force, strong nuclear force, and
electromagnetic force) are all at the necessary levels for an ordered
universe to emerge and for life to exist. Even the tiniest variations in
these forces (for example, one in 1039, or one in 1028; that is—crudely
calculated—one in a billion billion billion billion), the universe
would either be composed only of radiation or of no other element
besides hydrogen. There are many other delicate adjustments that make
the earth ideal for human life: the size of the sun, its distance from
the earth, the unique physical and chemical properties of water, the
wavelength of the sun’s rays, the way that the earth’s atmosphere
contains the gases necessary to allow respiration, or the Earth’s
magnetic field being ideally suited to human life.
This
delicate balance is one of the most striking discoveries of modern
astrophysics. The wellknown astronomer, Paul Davies, writes in the last
paragraph of his book The Cosmic Blueprint, “The impression of Design is
overwhelming.”
In an article in the journal Nature, the
astrophysicist W. Press writes, “there is a grand design in the Universe
that favors the development of intelligent life.”
The
interesting thing about this is that the majority of the scientists that
have made these discoveries were of the materialist point of view and
came to this conclusion unwillingly. They did not undertake their
scientific investigations hoping to find a proof for God’s existence.
But most of them, if not all of them, despite their unwillingness,
arrived at this conclusion as the only explanation for the extraordinary
design of the universe.
In his book, The Symbiotic Universe the American astronomer, George Greenstein, acknowledges this fact:
How
could this possibly have come to pass [that the laws of physics conform
themselves to life]? …As we survey all the evidence, the thought
insistently arises that some supernatural agency—or, rather Agency—must
be involved. Is it possible that suddenly, without intending to, we have
stumbled upon scientific proof of the existence of a Supreme Being? Was
it God who stepped in and so providentially crafted the cosmos for our
benefit?
By beginning his question with “Is it possible”,
Greenstein, an atheist, tries to ignore that plain fact that has
confronted him. But many scientists who have approached the question
without prejudice acknowledge that the universe has been created
especially for human life. Materialism is now being viewed as an
erroneous belief outside the realm of science. The American geneticist,
Robert Griffiths, acknowledges this fact when he says, “If we need an
atheist for a debate, I go to the philosophy department. The physics
department isn’t much use.”
In his book Nature’s Destiny:
How the Laws of Biology Reveal Purpose in the Universe, which examines
how physical, chemical and biological laws are amazingly calculated in
an “ideal” way with a view to the requirements of human life, the
well-known molecular biologist, Michael Denton writes:
The
new picture that has emerged in twentieth-century astronomy presents a
dramatic challenge to the presumption which has been prevalent within
scientific circles during most of the past four centuries: that life is a
peripheral and purely contingent phenomenon in the cosmic scheme.
In
short, the idea of a random universe, perhaps atheism’s most basic
pillar, has been proved invalid. Scientists now openly speak of the
collapse of materialism.
[Darris McNeely] Your Bible predicts a coming time of religious
deception. A charismatic political leader will combine forces with a
powerful religious leader to bring about this new world system. These
influential leaders will even turn many atheists into believers. Atheism
is coming to an end.
But today people aren't getting more religious. They are becoming
more secular, more agnostic, more atheistic. And, too often, those who
claim a religion don't act all that religious.
What can you do to avoid such a great deception? How will you handle such a time?
Join us on Beyond Today as we discuss “The End of Atheism.”
[Announcer] Join our host Darris McNeely and his guests, as they help you understand your future on Beyond Today!
[Darris] There’s an old saying that in wartime, there are “no
atheists in foxholes.” The idea is that in the heat of a battle when men
are under attack from incoming shells and hunkered into the ground for
protection—that they become believers in God and they call out to Him
for protection and for help. They turn from disbelief to belief.
Well, the truth is there are still a lot of atheists in foxholes
during the heat of battle. And when the fog of war lifts, people tend to
fall back into the old patterns of belief, including unbelief in God or
a Higher Power that governs this universe.
This was dramatically confirmed in America after 9/11 and the attacks
on America by Islamic fundamentalists. For a few weeks following the
attacks, church attendance skyrocketed. People wanted reassurance and
answers, so they turned to religion. But this surge in religious
attendance soon stopped. Fear waned and church attendance figures went
back to normal. People crawled out of their foxholes and went back to
former habits.
Atheism and unbelief in God has been around since the first humans.
Today, atheism is popularized in media and popular culture. But atheism
as a belief is heading toward the dustbin of history. The Bible shows a
future time when a breakdown of world order will threaten civilization.
To prevent a collapse, two powerful figures—one political and one
religious—will step onto the stage. They will both wield power appearing
to bring balance to the world. Religion will play a key role in this
revival and atheism will not be fashionable anymore. But even in this
supreme moment of human history, people will falter and they’ll stumble
in belief toward God. What does this mean for you?
When I read about those who don’t believe there’s a God—it’s often
because of the existence of evil in the world and especially the evil or
the tragedy of a personal nature. When children are sick. When good
people suffer. When God is not seen to answer a prayer in the exact
manner and way that one might wish. As a pastor dealing with people’s
expectations of God, I know this happens. The key to maintaining our
faith is to understand why evil exists and why God allows bad things to
happen. Atheism is too often a convenient crutch that we might use as we
struggle to understand this often bleak world.
When we read the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, we see how atheism becomes imbedded among men.
Paul wrote to that first century group of people, he said that:
“...God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people
who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about
God because he has made it obvious to them...So they have no excuse for
not knowing God” (Romans 1:18-19, NLT).
Pause here for a moment and consider. There is no reason or excuse
for any of us to not know the truth about God including His certain
existence. God challenges man in His Word saying that He can be found by
those who seek Him. God is not a vacant landlord with no interest in
this world and human life. He is interested in you! And should you
choose to seek Him, He can be found.
Let’s read on in what Paul says.
“Yes,” he said, “they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God
or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of
what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused” (Romans 1:21-24, NLT).
Now Paul was writing to a first century Roman world that was
spiritually dark and in confusion. Twenty-first century American and
western culture mirrors that same first century Roman world. We are on a
headlong dash back to the days of Rome. Atheism today is a symptom of a
world fumbling for meaning and purpose. Sin and the consequences of sin
bring suffering. And suffering results in further denial and hatred of
God.
God has always allowed man the choice of obedience or disobedience.
Belief or unbelief. When disobedience is chosen a vicious downward cycle
begins. God is forgotten and a culture develops that does not
acknowledge truth. Lies about God, His existence, His nature and His
purpose is forgotten.
You see, man will ultimately believe in something, even if it’s a
lie. Humanity’s hard wired to seek meaning and purpose for his
existence. And even atheism is a faith, a belief that there is no god
requires looking at the intricate reality of life in this planet and
devising a belief system that denies what is self-evident.
Paul says in this passage that God can be seen and known by His
creation. To reject that truth forms a new faith system. God allows
mankind the freedom to choose His way, even if it takes him away from
Him as creator.
Paul’s response to this situation was the gospel of God through His
Son Jesus Christ and the hope of the coming Kingdom. He showed this
promise was long foretold by the prophets. God would send His Son to
this earth to live a righteous life (John 3:16)and to be “raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 8:11). He said this same “power of God” would work salvation to everyone who believes—including the Gentile world (Romans 1:16). The gospel was a message of faith and life.
To the first century Roman world, this message found an audience in
people who looked for hope at a very bleak time. You see, the world that
was created by the yoke of Rome produced a very hard peace but little
hope for men. Cynicism and hatred was a bitter fruit of the time.
Atheism today bears this trademark of hatred—a hatred for God and a
hatred for religion. And we’re reaping the results of a modern world of
false and failed religion. Because religion is seen as an oppressor,
atheism is seen by many as a liberator.
To read what modern atheists say about religion, particularly the
Christian religion, is to understand this hatred. The late Christopher
Hitchens put it best in his book, “god is not Great.” Hitchens had a
caustic, scathing atheism which he described as a
“particular...Protestant atheism.” He railed at all varieties of
religious ideas.
He said, “I leave it to the faithful to burn each other’s churches
and mosques and synagogues,”…“which they can always be relied upon to
do.” He somewhat prophetically even said, “people of faith are in their
different ways planning your and my destruction, and the destruction of
all the hard won human attainments.” Hitchens was correct in assessing
religion would always be with us as human beings.
Hard core atheism blames religion for mankind’s problems. No better
illustration of this can be found than in the spirit exhibited by the
French magazine, Charlie Hebdo. In January 2015, terrorists
attacked the Paris office of this satirical anti-religious magazine,
killing 16 people. A year later, on the first anniversary of the
massacre the cover story depicted God with a Kalashnikov rifle slung
over his back, cloak and beard splattered with blood, under the
headline, “The killer is still on the run.”
Bringing atheism to an end will take something bigger than what we have so far seen.
The Bible shows us how an end time false religion, inspired by the
Devil himself, will finally end atheism. Yes, a false religion is coming
that will be so deceiving that it will convert atheists into believers
in a god. We will see in a moment how this will come upon an
unsuspecting world.
But first, let me tell you about today’s free Bible study aid
offer—which has everything to do with the coming false, demon-inspired
faith that will terminate atheism. It’s titled: Who is the Antichrist?
This publication will help you fully grasp the truth about this serious
and absorbing end-time subject. To order your own personal copy of Who is the Antichrist? call us toll free at: 1-888-886-8632. Again that number is: 1-888-886-8632, or you can go online to BeyondToday.tv.
You really need this vital study aid to help you learn much more about this important Bible topic. To receive your free copy of Who is the Antichrist? call: 1-888-886-8632 or go online to BeyondToday.tv.
Or, if you prefer, you can write to us at the address shown on your
screen throughout the program [Beyond Today, PO Box 541027, Cincinnati,
OH 45254].
Would a dramatic miracle—a religious miracle—either strengthen your faith in God or bring you back from the edge of unbelief?
Could miracles cause an atheist to rethink his view of the supernatural and perhaps even God?
Could a coming age of miracles bring atheism to an end?
Think about those questions for a moment.
Our world has a mixed reaction to the idea of religious miracles.
Many rational-minded people scoff at the idea that the laws of nature
might be suspended by a power or force beyond this physical life. Many
people who consider themselves even mildly religious don’t really deeply
believe that a miracle could occur.
So what about you? Miracles? Maybe you just haven’t given it much thought.
Christ spoke in one verse about a time of great world trouble alongside miraculous religious events (Matthew 24:21).
While in another, just a few verses later, Christ said that the days
prior to the coming of the Son of Man people will be “eating and
drinking...marrying and giving in marriage.” (Matthew 24:37-38)
Christ uses the time of Noah and the flood when people were focused on
life and were not ready when a day of judgment came. His words give the
clear impression that life will be good for most in spite of other
trouble or tribulation.
Now what might explain these opposing views in Scripture? Could it be
something miraculous that causes a radical alteration of people’s
perception of reality? Could something happen that would cause even an
atheist to reconsider his belief? Let’s see.
After His earthly ministry, Christ gave further details of the world
conditions at the close of this age. The book of Revelation in chapter
13 shows the rise of two distinct power centers, one is political and
the other is religious. Both are called “beasts” which is a biblical
image for powers and empires that impact God’s plan and His people.
The first beast derives its power from the dragon, which a symbol for
Satan—it’s clearly identified earlier in the book of Revelation. The
power is over many nations and peoples and there is great authority
vested in this government.
The power of this person continues for three and one half years. The
nature of his government causes it to make policies and laws considered
blasphemous to God’s teaching and to God’s law. The name of God is
abused. Any church or body that seeks to promote and guard God’s holy
teaching is endangered. Even the sanctity of the angelic powers are
attacked in open and brazen manners.
This world power has global influence over diverse peoples and
nations. It seems no part of the world is beyond the reach of this
governing power. The saints of God—His holy people, His Church—are
singled out for persecution indicating they recognize the diabolical
unearthly power behind this behemoth and are not taken in by its
deceptive and alluring influence.
What brings this world power into place? By piecing together
information from other prophecies, it appears political and economic
conditions will come to a point where world order will appear to be
collapsing. The world as we know it—financially secure, all systems
working, the internet working, ATM machines spitting out money and a
functioning financial system in place—all this will appear to be
collapsing almost overnight. The comfortable, functioning, convenient
global world man has created will appear to be over.
It might be another financial catastrophe. It might be caused by a
significantly escalated terror attack, or something yet unseen. It could
be so large that no existing government or agency will be able to
correct the threat. But at the last minute, an extraordinary power, like
that described here in Revelation, will rise. Order will be restored.
Banks will be safe. Retirement funds will be secure. Life returns to
normal, but at a cost. The cost is personal freedom and life as we know
it today.
You don't think something like this could happen?
It almost did back in September of 2008. A financial crisis began in
the United States and spread to Europe and other world markets in only a
few weeks. Major financial houses in New York went out of business.
Large American corporations neared bankruptcy, but they were "bailed
out" by the government. In one weekend, Washington and Wall Street were
locked in close negotiations in hopes to keep the entire western
financial house operating. One report said the American banking system
was within 48 hours of failure. It almost happened to you. Your ATM card
would not have worked at any machine. No money. No gasoline. No
groceries. Imagine the panic that almost resulted!
It didn’t happen. Order was restored. But it was costly.
Now consider something even larger happening that no one in
Washington, New York, London or Tokyo would be able to sort out. And
then...a solution appears. Governments recognize one person with one
single power behind him with a solution that appears to be the only way
forward. Order is restored, but it comes with a high cost. National
sovereignty is required to this governmental system. A power unlike any
the world has ever seen emerges.
And just when some might balk at what emerges, another power arises, but this power is “spiritual” in nature.
Revelation 13 shows us another beast, another power rising out of the earth (Revelation 13:11).
This power appears to be like a lamb, that is a great religious power
but it speaks like a dragon—meaning its words are deceptive and alluring
like Satan can be. This second power centered in a world faith, will
share its power platform with the political leader. And both, remember,
are backed by the dragon—Satan himself. This is a church-and-state power
acting in concert like no one has ever seen in modern times. We’ve seen
great world powers rise for bad and good. We’ve seen Nazi Germany, the
Soviet Union. We’ve see the British and American Empires. But we have
not seen any act with a great spiritual, church-power alongside it. The
Bible shows this will make all the difference.
What happens will even make an atheist believe!
Revelation shows the key. The second beastly power, the world
religious leader, will cause the earth and those who dwell in it to
worship the secular beastly power. It says that “He performs great
signs, so that he even makes the fire come down from heaven on the earth
in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by
those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast…” (Revelation 13:13-14).
Here are miracles that will bring atheism to an end. Here are
miracles that will astound the world into submission to a power unlike
any it has seen. Here are miracles that will be used to bring order to
the world on the brink of complete and total disorder. Many atheists,
agnostics and non-believers will become religious as they will be
deceived into thinking God is working through these individuals.
On a recent trip that I had taken to Rome, I witnessed a scene that
showed me how the addition of something miraculous could transform an
already impressive religious rite into something so startling and
dramatic that even an atheist would believe. The Pope was conducting a
twilight outdoor mass in front of a large cathedral. The lighting on the
church, the sound of the choir and the visuals created an awe inspiring
spectacle. It was obvious those in the audience that evening were
caught up in the moment, watching and marveling at the sight. Probably
there were even a few atheists in the crowd. I thought, add a dramatic
miracle like that described in the book of Revelation and the moment is
instantly transformed. A sign like fire from heaven or another miracle
could take such a routine religious ceremony and lift it beyond anything
we’ve ever seen. The result will be people caught up in a deception on a
global scale.
Christ said even His elect—His church—could be deceived if they are
not on guard. He said “...false christs and false prophets will rise and
show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24).
Compare this with another biblical description of a great deceiving
power that says that “This man will come to do the work of Satan with
counterfeit power and signs and miracles” (2 Thessalonians 2:9, NLT).
Miraculous powerful signs and miracles taking place in a modern world
will transform the culture. There will be events happening in the skies
above our heads—and not in a large IMAX movie theater—not in a 3D
projection movie where audiences sit transfixed today. Everyone will see
these miracles and everyone will wonder what they mean.
There will be miracles performed by this religious leader in large
public displays before many thousands in person and multiple millions
watching on their large screen televisions around the world. It will be
bigger than life and convincing for even the unbelieving skeptic. Who
does these signs will make claims to represent God, and an unsuspecting
world will feel the secrets of the ages have been unlocked by this
global power.
Where will you find yourself at such a moment? What can you do to
avoid this coming time of great deception, “unlike any previous”? Well,
in the coming minutes of this program, we are going to share with you
what we know. You will want to hear it.
I’d like to remind you to request your own free copy of today’s study aid: Who is the Antichrist?
This remarkable publication will give you vital keys to understand what
the Bible says about this captivating prophetic subject.
Plus, when you order Who is the Antichrist? we’ll also send you a free subscription to our bi-monthly magazine, Beyond Today.
This valuable publication will give you vital insight into practical
teachings of the Bible. It will also help you grasp the significance of
biblical prophecies—which will aid you in preparing for the difficult
days ahead—and the exciting future time when Jesus Christ will establish
God’s Kingdom on this earth.
So, to order your free copy of Who is the Antichrist? and receive your free subscription to Beyond Today magazine, call: 1-888-886-8632 or go online to BeyondToday.tv.
If you live outside North America, please write to the address that’s
on your screen [Beyond Today, PO Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH 45254].
I’m joined here on the program today by fellow Beyond Today presenters, Steve Myers and Gary Petty.
The end of atheism. Atheists say that religion is seen as an
oppressor. What are some examples from history, from even modern times,
that might support that idea?
[Gary] Well of course what we first think of immediately is what’s
happening with Islam—with the radical elements of Islam oppressing
people in a most horrible, violent way. But you know, if you look at the
history of Christianity, Christianity at times has been horribly
oppressive. I mean think of the Crusades. So, organized religion in all
different forms is known for eventually becoming very oppressive to
people.
[Darris] You know, somebody said that Christianity would be a pretty
good religion if enough people would actually live out its tenets and
the teachings of Jesus Christ.
You know, the concept of miracles, and the Bible talks about miracles
connected with these end-time personages—the beast and the false
prophet. Would that be enough to end atheism or to turn a believer and
would it be lasting?
[Steve] Just think of the intrigue there is even today for things
that you can’t quite explain. But imagine if it was evident to everyone
and they saw the reality of something phenomenal happening right before
their eyes. We all say, “seeing is believing” and I think you could
easily be taken in by that and when you read what the Bible says about
those end times, it does say these are lying wonders or phenomenal
miracles that are real miracles but they are coming from an evil force.
[Darris] From the point of view of even a believer, should a believer look to a miracle to strengthen their faith?
[Gary] You know, a miracle from God can strengthen us but even that
is only short-lived. We have to have faith and a relationship with God.
So miracles have their place. These kinds of miracles that are going to
happen are actually going to lead people away from the true God.
[Steve] If you don’t have a relationship with God, a miracle is not
going to do anything. Look at Israel. Forty years there was fire, there
was clouds, there was all kinds of amazing miracles that happened and
they lost their relationship—they didn’t have it. And so without that
right relationship with God a miracle isn’t going to be the solution.
[Darris] What’s then is the ultimate end of atheism?
[Gary] Oh, it’s simple. Someday the entire population of the world is
going to hear a majestic trumpet sound. They’re all going to look up
and they’re going to see Jesus Christ coming in the clouds. At that
moment, atheism will cease to exist.
[Darris] But not till then probably. Well that day may be closer than
we think, but, as that day approaches, it’s important that we be ready
for that. So, we want you to remember our free offers today—including
our study aid: Who is the Antichrist? and our bi-monthly Beyond Today magazine.
Both are yours absolutely free of charge. To order your publications,
call us toll free at: 1-888-886-8632. Again, that’s 1-888-886-8632. Or
go online to BeyondToday.tv.
[Steve] Hi, I’m Steve Myers. I’m the pastor here at the United Church
of God Cincinnati East congregation. I’d like to welcome you to come
and join us on this great spiritual journey. We have hundreds of
congregations around the United States and across the world. Click on
the “Congregations” tab to find a church near you. We’re committed to
growing in our relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ as well
as fellowshipping with each other.
If you’re looking for a home that encourages living what the Word of
God really teaches, you’ve found the right place! We’re a family—a
family of Bible believers committed to following Jesus Christ in
everything we do. We’ve found God’s way is the best way to live.
We’re happy that you’re looking into what God is doing in our efforts
to bring His message to the world. God is certainly pleased that you’re
looking into knowing Him better. And we’re here to help! We would love
to have you come and visit and worship with us. We’re looking forward to
meeting you soon! Come and join us!
[Darris] We live in an age of unbelief. Attacks on the Bible and
belief in God continually increase. Atheism and skepticism erode faith
and the ability to discern truth.
The Bible shows a coming age of miracles that will bring an end to
atheism. How will you respond to what your Bible shows to be lying signs
and wonders that will deepen the world’s deception?
It’s time you draw close to God. Seek Him now, in a time of peace
while He can be found and prepare your heart with truth. Prove God
exists and begin today to develop a sound relationship with Him.
That’s our program today. Thanks for watching and remember to pray, “Thy Kingdom come.” For Beyond Today I’m Darris McNeely.
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