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There are twin crags. They are not here yet, but have long been slowly forming, and their development is almost complete.

When the King comes, they will be lopped off, like the twin towers, but they reach far higher than that.

These crags are also different in this, that they are eminently evil, try to look good and would poison the very heavens if they could. Of course they cannot do so, but crags do not think much.

There is a disposition often evident amongst crags, to want to be alone, the uttermost.

Thus the World Council of Churches

• plus various unity groups of Pentecostals and others who feel ready to accept the customary excesses as just a difference, rather than a contra-biblical rebellion,

 
• plus the 'separated brethren' variation from tortures of yore, of Rome (plus traditionalistic intransigeance, thrown in with it, like vinegar in tea - SMR p. 1057, and of course this is the quality so scorchingly scorned by Christ in Mark 7:7),

 
• adorned with listless satellites,

 
• plus various nondescript but not biblically directed National Councils of churches,

 
• together with Unity religious movements, such as those of Bishop Swing,

 
• world Unification movements, those of the Temple of Understanding for All Faiths,

 
• Universal Thought Moments of New Age people

 
• and so on:

 
• these varied and multitudinous assemblages are the 'teen age years, if you will, of the second beast of Revelation 13:11ff.. (Cf. Biblical Blessings Ch. 6.)

Such combinations and gropings, fallings and re-groupings, departures and newly facilitated alignments are dwelt on in such places as SMR pp. 684ff., 750Bff., 923ff., 1060, 1079ff., Tender Times for Timely Truths Ch. 8, Acme, Alpha and Omega: Jesus Christ Ch. 9, Benevolent Brightness or Brothy Bane 19 (News 87, Ninth Movement), News, Facts and Forecasts 15 (News 123), It Bubbles, It Howls, He Calls... Ch. 11, in great detail. Indeed, in the last there is an interesting excerpt to follow, in view of these latest developments.

• It is ALWAYS a supreme irony that trying to save your own life, loses it, and losing it for the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, saves it. But here! Abandoning the chief power and resource of Britain these centuries, for the follies of Europe with its papacy (increasingly 'acceptable' in Britain, whose PM goes to Mass from time to time, and is married, it appears,  to one who goes yet more), the nation reels into its new region, stripped and peeled. But it is by no means Britain alone!

 
• The US refuses to be outdone. Spirituality without the Lord surges, as it is becoming more and more apparent that the next absolutist tyranny, nearly here now, and predicted in Rev. 13, II Thess. 2 and Daniel, is not so simple-minded as were the Communists. Neither logically nor socially does atheism work (cf. SMR Chs. 1,  3, 10, That Magnificent Rock  5,  7, Repent or Perish Ch. 7). Hence the aspiring antichrist MUST do more for religion. Put differently, he will no doubt attempt to do more WITH it!

The office, function, profession, job of this beastly thing, is to make an image for worship, and to see that people do worship it. As to the image itself, of what is it an image ? It is of the first beast, the beast of raw ruling power, the imperial beast (and concerning its meaning, see That Other Shepherd, in The Other News  5). It was just like that in Rome of old, when imperial. It has often been like that since, in various sites. It was a variation of that in the Holy Roman Empire, and of course permitted and registered religion in Russia once and China now, it is just the same. The STATE is the one, and if you care to ask the religionists of this type, normally they will acquiesce; but if they do otherwise, as in the case of KGB officials later revealed as such, who went as delegates to the World Council of Churches meetings, with virtually predictable results: like captive birds, they may actually praise the beast, tunefully rendering it homage!

One of the reasons for this is simple: those who want unification without bothering so much about the spiritual OBJECT of faith, but being more concerned with the spiritual LICENCE for faith, and the apparent worldly ADVANTAGES for faith, will tend to have a subjective faith which is quite ductile and malleable. It bends and can be stretched. If any slip in without this understanding, it is a relatively easy matter for the preliminaries for the first beast, the rulers of the State, to ... remove them.

There are various means in this. They are declared, in totalitarian countries, to be a threat to national security, to have libelled the State, and so forth. That is perfectly routine. In general, it simply means this: that they do not put the State in the place of God, and so are not really doing their State-expected stuff. That ? It is just as Revelation reveals it in Ch. 13, to glorify the beast.

It is true, to be sure, that many people are more mentally supple and for that matter, physically athletic than others. Some are also more morally flexible, and spiritually chameleon. They find astonishing ways of doing both things, glorifying some 'god' and obeying the State, which has a different intention. It is a case of scaling down 'god' which in such cases is merely a name, for they do not and cannot know Him who do not confess Him, in the end; and of scaling up the 'State'. You cannot serve God and mammon, as so many know so well; but the principle of Christ is far broader than that, and logically it could not be otherwise. When the Almighty is concerned, Himself, you cannot serve TWO masters, with Him as one of them. It does not matter who the other one is.

It cannot be done! It is impossible. It is a contradiction in terms: God is a spirit, and to be served in spirit and in truth, being almighty, omniscient and Lord, He can suffer no breaches. There is at this level pre-eminently, with two masters, certain competition, collision and confusion; for God is pure and men are not (Matthew 6:24). God is infinite and man is not. The mind of God is God’s and the mind of men is their own. They differ to an infinite degree. "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways!" We learn in Isaiah 55.

Thus the crag of STATISM (SMR p. 1191-1192), the absolute submission to the State as sought in China and Russia with the sobriquet they find satisfactory, Communism, though any other would do as well for this principle, and the crag of RELIGIONISM, stand (and soon fall) together.
 

• But what is religionism ?

 
• Since one can call the one, Statism,
• the philosophy which would put the ultimate for man into that particular category,
• then the other is religionism,
• the philosophy which would put the ultimate for man into the category of religion.

States differ; so do religions. Hence Statism relates in particular at any given place and time, to the State that rules; and religions relate to the accepted combination, synthesis, syncretism that the State is willing to regard as such. Where democracy is still relatively actual, and liberty comparatively untainted at this level, the State does not push so much, though its views no doubt appear.

However this is not the present, as we have seen in the case of Australia, in South Australia and Victoria in particular (for the latter, see references in the last chapter, for the former see That Magnificent Rock Ch. 8). In various ways, subtler as in these cases, but less so in China and Russia, as likewise in the Holy Roman Empire era, in Albania for so long in the Cold War, in the Russian Empire also at that phase, amongst the Aztecs when the tender mercies of Romanism graspingly met them, as with the Incas, and in its own peculiar style, in Nazi Germany: this was the position.

Thus the new Age has not only much of New Age philosophy of humanistic religiosities, Old Age rigidities with new mobilities, cunning deviations with lateral arms and synthetic theological chemists with large tubes and many burners, which unfortunately so often burn the Bible by errant and erratic flames, but Statism in various subtle and less sophisticated formulae and formulations. It is all moving to one, like carrots, peas, potatoes and onions, each 'treated', into a stew. THEY, these are good ingredients for a stew. Jesus Christ the crucified and bodily resurrected, Prince in history, Lord of glory, HE is as apt for a place in any such or other stew as is Mont Blanc for a child's sand castle. Indeed, less so: for such a mount is but earth in varied forms, in one single mass jutting into the atmosphere of God's parallel creation; but Christ is the Creator (Colossians 1:15ff.).

To put Him into such a stew is not in the slightest degree to alter HIM in any way, since it is only an imaginary icon of Christ which can be so treated, an idol in the heart as Ezekiel puts it. The true God is never manipulable or assignable, deterrable or synthesisable, is not the subject of human machination but He who made as object, the whole of human creation, and retains the power to judge all men. The stew, as is readily the case in such things, is the RESULT for man, who so derogates the deity and impudently seeks to pacify the Prince.

Leaving the chemistry and culinary sections, we revert to the statuesque pretensions which stand aloof, themselves: Statism and Religionism.

So the two, the twin crags grow more obvious.

Where however has the USA at the official governmental level begun NOW to move ? In its calamity at the World Trade Centre, what is the spiritual message ?

Part I was good, "fear no evil, for YOU are with me," from Psalm 23. That was in an early Presidential speech in reply to the taunt of using US equipment to blow up US buildings.

But what of the next move ?

We find now, September 18, 2001,  that there is a PRAYER SERVICE, and that it comprises Roman Catholic, Muslim, Jewish (religious), Baptist elements, to say no more.

Is that so surprising ? Yes, just a little, for it is one attended by the President. He is supposed at such times to represent the nation.

What then of this ? Billy Graham by the report, was assigned to preach. This man has openly co-operated with Rome at the most intimate spiritual levels (cf. SMR pp. 1032-1088H), so that his address would not offend that corner. However the PRAYER with Muslim, religious Jewish and Romanist elements, together with supposedly but perhaps not actually Protestant elements is not only a triumph for national spiritual unity.

It is a disaster to equal at least, that of the Twin Towers. Here is an ignominy handed out to God, to follow that to the USA! As if to say, Very well, we suffer, but our trust is in the God with the Son who is the ONLY REDEEMER, is in God who HAS NO SON, is in God whose Son can become a piece of bread, is in God whose word defiles the name of Christ to make Him mere man, is in God whose word is the Bible and shows Him by record as the very image of God.

Which God did you say ?

Let us consider this thing. I should like you to meet, says our gracious hostess, the notable Dr Smith whose three sons are themselves now leading lights in our community, who has no children, whose sole book, the Elements of Dancing, delight our hearts, whose fifty books are all on astronomy, who is a great man of peace, who lives by war, as shown in his only book ...

We are left wondering if this is a clown to whom we are introduced, whether our hostess is doing a clown act to liven things up, whether both are insane or whatever else ...

This is mockery.

It is not wise to mock God.

To put Him into such a stew is not in the slightest degree to alter HIM in any way, since it is only an imaginary icon of Christ which can be so treated, an idol in the heart as Ezekiel puts it. The true God is never manipulable or assignable, deterrable or synthesisable, is not the subject of human machination but He who made as object, the whole of human creation, and retains the power to judge all men. The stew, as is readily the case in such things, is the RESULT for man, who so derogates the deity and impudently seeks to pacify the Prince.

Leaving the chemistry and culinary sections, we revert to the statuesque pretensions which stand aloof, themselves: Statism and Religionism.

So the two, the twin crags grow more obvious.

There is no unity with CRAG ONE, the State, and CRAG TWO, the religious, unless the latter is indeed mere pomp and pretence, synthesis of opposites as here. This is a new official charter for folly in the USA, just as its crisis develops. Religion applied for STATE purposes, making for less tension and a better deal for some who may otherwise be persecuted, is one thing. However a religious concoction as the level of collusion, joint prayer with what in Biblical terms are quite simply unbelievers (II Cor. 6:14, I Cor. 5:11), it is not only forbidden^*1. It is servility of Crag Two to Crag One, neither of God or for God, but each of man and for man. It is in the nature of what is coming, predicted and prepared for utter destruction.

Do not misunderstand. This tendency is far from limited to the USA, as the above references abundantly show. It is however strong there, with the many sects scuttling about like demented crabs, slicing through the Bible with their claws (see Things Old and New), and it is now being made stronger.

• This nation -

 
• once with Britain, having much to show in the direction of Biblical religion, but now with Graham of the Southern Baptists, a large denomination,  moving strongly into the synthetic sphere, with many denominations dividing on the Bible, and many sects and follies in spiritual things, while nature myths have long been illogically but regally resident in areas of the academic (Spiritual Refreshings for the Digital Millenium Ch. 13, Wake Up World! Your Creator is Coming … Chs.  5,   6) -

 
• is changing calamitously.

 
• It has come to be in danger of a vast mutation.

 
• Its treatment of Israel is nothing less.

If we speak the more vigorously of what we love the more, it is not for contempt but for a call to arms, spiritual arms, to the Lord, to return to the rock from which you were hewn (Isaiah 51:1-2). Cease meddling with divine things for the sake of national things: it will only defile.

That President Bush should wish to reassure Moslem women in particular, in the USA, of the hope that they will not be persecuted because of the ghoulish follies of some of Islam, indeed MUCH of it in terms of the notorious statements of many national leaders: this is good. It is good to avoid physical violence and not lightly to make the assumption that people understand the full horror of that to which they are nevertheless committed. It is good to seek to bring peace.

It is however NOT good to ignore the realities of the case of the 3 world conspiracies, of which even Putin gave in one instance some warning (although himself at least formerly part of another of them!), and to act as if these unhappy events are ... oddments. They are not. They have the strongest religious background, whatever the particular outlets may eventually proved to have been.

In Pakistan we learn that there has actually been TRAINING of Taliban people, and we find^*2 that a prominent religious Muslim has personally instilled the doctrines into bin Laden, just as we learned in the case of Iran for so many years that the US was the Satan and so on. Certainly, not all religionists take seriously all that is in their 'books', but the violence in the Koran has been sufficiently attested, as a motif in the sphere of religious faith, in the last chapter. It is wiser not to make Islam seem what it assuredly is not; for it has never  been of this type, except when diluted or distilled; it is best not to divorce it from the indisputable text of the Koran. It is well to seek the good of those deluded into this anti-faith, this Christian-Jewish heresy, without congratulating with horrendous inaccuracy, the propaganda line that so often is put out by so many organisations, UNTIL their day comes.

The people must be cared for, justly, kindly. The doctrine, the religion, the philosophy however can be complimented only by outrageous ignoring of its many claims, at the physical level, and its spiritual mutilation of the word of God. (Cf. Barbs, Arrows and Balms 30, Tender Times for Timely Truths Ch. 8, Biblical Blessings, Appendix III, SMR pp. 1080ff, 50ff., 91). Chamberlain tried it with Hitler. The results were appropriate...

Deception is one thing; flying in the face of a tornado and calling it calm, it is another!

Meanwhile, as ever, the Biblical predictions concerning the unification of religions against Christ is proceeding according to plan, to program with precision and flair, while the turmoils of the nations tide like giant reverse oceanic whirl-pools one beside the other, just as proclaimed for the era of this profile (cf. SMR  Ch. 8). The contortions and vortices are multiplied psychologically, morally, religiously, while the horrendous is praised, the evil is made to seem good, the whole is stirred with the spoon of convenience, and the 3 conspiracies look to see if to them may come the spoon itself, and the world whirls on its worn-out way to shame.

It is far better to serve the truth. However, whomever anyone serves, the truth WILL be served in  this, that it has already told us what is to be, and it is a book with the synopsis pre-read, coming on screen in the Web format, before our eyes. How the harlot woman, symbolising illicit religion,  cries to the man in Proverbs 7, to come to her lair! It is only in Proverbs 8 that we see the other 'woman', wisdom herself, the very word of God, crying to us not to proceed on that path. After all, as it says in Proverbs 7:21-3:

• With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,

With her flattering lips she seduced him.
Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
Till an arrow struck his liver.
As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it would cost his life."

• "For she has cast down many wounded,
• And all who were slain by her were strong men.
• Her house is the way to hell,
• Descending to the chambers of death."

In Proverbs 1, you see the results of negligence concerning these lairs:

"Wisdom calls aloud outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
She cries out in the chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
 

" 'How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
 

" 'Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
When your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
 

“ 'Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord,
They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
 

" 'Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
And will be secure, without fear of evil.' ”

"Does not wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
She takes her stand on the top of the high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:

“ 'To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
O you simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
For my mouth will speak truth...' "

Then in Proverbs 8:32-36:

“ 'Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For blessed are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.

" 'Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
For whoever finds me finds life,
And obtains favor from the Lord;
But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.' ”

There is none like the Lord in power to program; but there is none more impossible to provide with program, than the Lord. He thinks as He will, does justice as He says, shows mercy on His own cognizance,  and being irreplaceable, when 'replaced' is merely ... not there.

Then where is your rock!

Snapped.

Deuteronomy 32 gives some both of the perspective and the details in 32:15-33, and 32:36-43: on the one hand, mighty discipline before deliverance for the Jew, and on the other, demolition for the jackals; and II Thessalonians shows how readily rocked are those rocks without foundation (1:8-9), those who do not know God, even those who do not obey the Gospel.

He is, after all, LORD. He does whatsoever He pleases in heaven and in earth: it is marvellous that it is a good pleasure (Ephesians 1:9). Being crucified may give an impression to the guileful manipulators of men, and of themselves, rebels or renegades, ruined by rationalisation, caught by cunning; but Christ being risen from the dead is but the first instalment.

The end is like this:

"Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

'Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.'

"He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:

'Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.

'I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’

"Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him."

With doings like his, eating the fruit of your own doings (Proverbs 1:31, Isaiah 3:10-11) becomes incomparably contemptible, a thing of undying shame.
 
 

*1
If you wish to follow this theme, see The Kingdom of Heaven … Ch. 7.

*2 The Weekend Australian - September 15-16, 2001, War of Terror, p. 9. The teacher ? Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman.