To all the Doves; 

My first watch started in 1997 or 1998 when I first found The Five Doves site.  It truly looked like the Rapture was very near. I was quite ready to go in 1998. It was a very difficult time in my life, and I  prayed for the Rapture. I’m still praying. We are still here, and watching for The Lord’s return. 

I’m not a bible scholar, I see faith as a journey, and I speak only as a fallible man, who is here only by The Grace of God.  I watch, and try not to judge.  Simply I just look at what is happening around me and pray for understanding.  I’ve had no revaluations or answers, just a call to keep praying, and trusting in the blessings we enjoy during this dispensation of Grace.  That is the one thing that I believe requires marked acknowledgement: during this dispensation “Grace” is here for our asking.  Like the thief on the cross, all we need do is ask.  

When I read Charles post  "That sinking feeling everything we think is wrong",  what filled my head was  "That sinking feeling everything is wrong" 

Right now I have been on YouTube watching Christians of all stripes attack each other, and very few of the debates are focused on building faith, but rather just arguing.  There are things I just don’t understand.  As an example there is a Calvinist apologetic who preaches that Christ died only for the elect, and that God has predestined those who are to die in sin.  That is a scary thought that Grace is not there for the asking:  that doesn’t sound like what is taught in John’s Gospel where he writes “God is Love”. 

Another wedge driving Christians apart is an ongoing debate regarding Bible translations.  Frankly both sides have valid points, but right now many of the debates have turned personal. It is fine to attack an idea or a principle, but there is no value to stooping down to personal; attacks.  When Jesus rebuked the Pharisee’s and Sadducees he spoke his words against their practices, actions, and hierocracy, but he didn’t speak about the person.  Quite the opposite Jesus prayed for those who persecuted and hated him. 

Another observation, and that is Pope Francis.  I’m scratching my head and wondering, and consider that I grew up in the Latin Rite Catholic Church.  When  Cardinal Ratzinger was sitting as Pope, he looked the part of the False Prophet.  Just to be very clear I said he “looked”, I make no judgment on him, or Pope Francis.  To have a Jesuit Pope was something that I would never have imagined.  It would also be fair to say that many of the more educated Catholics, myself included, believe that a Pope will be the False Prophet.

However, getting to that belief, where does it come from?  Saint Malachy’s prophesy was not given with the words “Thus saith the Lord”, and he just names the current Pope as “Peter the Roman”.  The prophesy itself does not specifically say anything about good or evil; it just speaks a name.  Pope Francis has said some things that are quite controversial.  He has made statements I do NOT agree with, however what does that mean in the bigger picture?  Why has he rejected the Pomp, Ceremony, Residence, and traditional body guards that surrounded the other Popes?  Maybe he is a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”, but I do not think that there is enough right now to draw any conclusions. 

Yet another observation, and I think this is very telling, is Barrack Obama and the growing divide in the United States.  I live in Canada, so I cannot speak as anything but an outsider, but something just isn’t right.  The United States is no longer the “Home of The Free”.  As an outsider looking in, I see a Government that is ready to make war against its own people. I’m just guessing here, but I suspect that every day more and more Americans are realizing that their President is a fraud with a lot of secrets. 

I could list many more observations that leaves me thinking something just isn’t right, but I will end with the weird weather that is happening globally.  When was the last time there was snow in Jerusalem?  Something or someone is affecting global weather patterns.  We have Fukushima killing the Pacific. In the Gulf of Mexico oil continues to seep without the media even mentioning it.  And perhaps the strangest is the quiet; there hasn’t been much in terms of seismic activity.  It seemed that earthquakes and volcanoes were uttering growls of something big, but I haven’t heard of anything lately.  I’m left wondering when, and what the next catastrophe will be???  It is a horrible thought, but a major volcanic eruption could take most of Japan in to the sea. God and nature could very well take care of the radioactive mess entombing  Fukushima, and the contaminated land in the bowels of the Earth’s crust and mantle.

 

So “Yes Charles, something just feels wrong”.  I very much agree that things just feel strange.

 

Blessed be the Holy Name of Jesus Christ. Blessed Be his Holy Name forever and unto the age of ages.

 

Robert G.