Prophet, Antichrist, miracles–obviously the coming world-ruling entity will have powerful religious involvement. World-shaking scenarios do not take place quickly;there are always people and situations involved in the events leading up to actions that affect the entire globe. Therefore, the governmental/church dictatorship that will come into being in the end of the end times will have developed over the preceding years. The question then becomes, which religious body has a singular leader who is known and revered throughout the world today–a leader whom the world recognizes as the head of “the church?” Only Catholicism, whose popularity is increasing steadily throughout the world as its leader tells people what they want to hear–that all is well with them; all are headed for heaven; all are welcomed to join up, etc. We must not forget that the man who will introduce the masses to their “savior” is called a “prophet” who causes people to “worship” the anti “christ.” This can only be a popular, globally-recognized religious leader. After reading The Ingathering one can envision only one religious leader who possesses instant world-wide recognition in these times–the reigning pope, whose seductive web continues to lure in unsuspecting victims as his popularity grows. For everything that is prophesied to take place will only take only some hard times, a few miracles and the introduction of a charismatic secular leader who promises to solve all the world’s problems. At that point the masses will flock to their local need-meeting outlet where they will become members of the governmental/religious organization that will provide them with its “mark,” thereby maximizing its control over them. Let us enumerate some of the characteristics that make Catholicism the prime religious entity to whom the masses will gravitate.

Global recognition: No religious leader or organization is so notable as the pope and his church whose proponents are found in nearly every nation on earth. Intelligence gathering capability: According to authorities in the intelligence business, the Vatican is second to none, including the American CIA and the Israeli Mossad. Finances: The Catholic church is reported to be the richest organization on earth. In 1960 Forbes Magazine reported that one archdiocese alone took in over $150,000,000 the previous year. Catholic wealth has a long but inglorious history. As the world approached the year 1000, many Europeans, believing that the Rapture was about to take place, gave their possessions to the Catholic Church. When they were not raptured, the church refused to return their possessions. In times past a popular ruse for accumulating money was called the “Forfeiture Statutes.” This lucrative trick, instituted by Pope Innocent III, provided that anyone found to be a “heretic” (not Catholic enough) was automatically stripped of all properties which were placed in the church treasury. Anyone could be declared a heretic by anyone else for any reason, real or imagined. Through these and other procedures, such as purgatory payments and confessional fines, the church has amassed billions of dollars over the years. Of course, much of that money has gone to paying off victims of priestly child molestation.

Another characteristic that helps to identify the Catholic Church as the prime suspect in the end-time deception of earth’s dwellers is the cult’s female emphasis. Note that in Revelation 17:5 the entity who is described as drunken with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus (see the segment on the Inquisition) is a woman known by such names as Mystery, Babylon, Mother of Harlots. She is also known in Revelation 1:1; 17:15,16; 19:2 as the Great Whore. Note that most of the observable “miracles” such as apparitions on tortillas, windows, trees, in clouds, etc., statues having bleeding hands, tear-seeping eyes, etc. are attributed to Mary. Note that the numerous heavenly visitations recorded by Catholics over the years have had one thing in common–they all involve Mary. To be continued. L.J.