Abuse in the Catholic church

Germany: Study uncovers widespread sexual abuse in Münster diocese

A university study found at least 610 underage victims were abused by clergy in the western German diocese. With many cases going unreported, researchers estimate the actual number of victims could be 10 times as high. READ MORE 

Praying for priests, kids and adult members of the Roman Catholic Church again today.

My heart breaks about news like this, because I know how easy it is to be tempted and to fall in this area. I know the father-heart of God for the victims, as well as the mercy that´s available for those who fell. But I also know that there will be severest judgment for all who do not repent and those who cover up these atrocities.

As for the Catholic Church as a whole, each case like this is another step towards its certain, prophesied complete destruction through the very God whom it claims to represent. Within one hour it will be destroyed, so if you are still in it: come out of her, or you will partake in her destruction!

If you have been abused yourself, I pray that you will find grace to forgive; if you have failed, repent and seek forgiveness from God – He wants you to turn to Jesus, not to a “church” whose leaders do not know him! 

Ukraine, war and the mercy of God

 

Putin, the Orthodox church and nationalism in Russia and elsewhere

               You can also view the video and read the article at www.aljazeera.com

My comment:

As President of Russia and former KGB-agent in communist times, you would expect Vladimir Putin to be an atheist. This video from Aljazeera shows a different picture. It examines the relationship between the Russian Orthodox church and the Russian government, and takes a close look at a very nationalistic movement that aims to revive the Russian empire to former glory. Sounds familiar? Right - it sounds like "Make America great again", just under a different flag. It might just explain the disturbing Trump-Putin connection. It certainly does illustrate what happens if the church embraces the use of weapons and force for whatever reason: It can no longer be distinguished from any other secular stream in societies, and ultimately even leads to one part of the "church" fighting wars against another. It is a church without any spiritual power, striving for the things of this world, not compelling any onlooker to repent and turn to Christ, because Jesus is not in it whatsoever. All that´s left is a sense of moral superiority and a wrong sense of being the cure to the problems of the world, while nothing could be further from the truth!

Lessons from Afghanistan

  

After twenty years in the country, NATO forces from the US., Britain, Germany and many other nations left Afghanistan in August 2021. The world watched in horror as desperate people tried to cling to the last military airplanes leaving Kabul airport after the Taliban had taken back control over the country. Twenty years of service by hundreds of thousands of soldiers, who scarificed their time and many even their lives, hundreds of billions of dollars invested into the mission of the armed forces and the projects of GOs and NGOs - it seems like all of this was wasted. Politicians, the media and military leaders speak of a failed mission. As a missionary, who served in Thailand from 1998-2017, I asked the Lord what lessons, if any, the church can learn from the experience of the "secular" mission for the work of missionaries and mission agencies among the unreached peoples of the earth. The following thoughts came to my mind; they are not meant as the ultimate conclusion of  the matter, but rather as suggestions to be considered for further evaluation and as help in the process of decision-making:

• None of the soldiers went to Afghanistan because they thought it was a great idea or because they wanted to go on vacation. They were ordered to go there!" >>  Missionaries go when and where ordered by the Lord. 
• Soldiers left when they were ordered to, nobody stayed behind! >> Most missionaries arrive on the field with great zeal, but are rather reluctant to return home; could it be that our terms are limited?   
• There might be a time, when a mission must face the fact that it is better to end it. The longest time the apostle Paul stayed in one place was three and a half year (in Ephesus). He normally past on the responsibility to the local church, even though that meant risking failure.
• The Afghan government, police and army that was trained and equipped by the Western allies, failed to hold the ground against the Taliban, who basically had remained waiting quietly in the underground throughout the twenty years>> Yes, it could be that planted churches will not last after a missionary leaves (all seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2-3, planted by Paul, are in Turkey and have seized to exist).
• When missionaries leave, they most likely leave behind a lot of "stuff": buildings, cars, land their foundations owned, schools, computers, etc. (hopefully no guns and tanks :)) We will not have a guarantee that it will be used only for the intended purposes.   
• The objective of the NATO mission in Afghanistan was not clear: Why are the troops there? How long will they stay? What will they do? How do we measure "success"? If these questions are not answered before the deployment, they hold potential for great frustration. "Undefined" and "indefinetly" may sound heroic, but might not be the best answers for succesful missions.
•  Sometimes, it might look to others or to the missionaries themselves as if their mission was a complete failure. If we think so, we might become bitter and angry with the commander in chief, the Lord Jesus, who had ordered  us to go in the first place: didn´t he know how hard it would be? Why did he send us anyway? It is therefore essential to look at the results of the mission from His perspective! You might not have achieved what you had planned  and hoped for, but look at what He did do!
• I just recently had an opportunity to talk to one of the eight missionaries who were taken captive by the Taliban in 2001; in spite of the current situation, she pointed out the good things that were accomplished, from improvement of the infrastructure to lives that were impacted by personal relationships and prayer. 
• For me personally, I have to face the reality that, in spite of my ministry there for almost twenty  years, Thailand remains an overwhelmingly Buddhist nation to this day and the church has not exactly exploded in size, either. However, many lives were - and remain - impacted, not at least my own!
• The NATO forces did not succeed to establish a new political, economical and/or social system or at least to significantly change the old one. While transformed individual lives do not count as success in a political, military operation, they are essential for ambassadors of Christ. It is the other way around: What good is it if misisonaries "win the world" (= change systems), but do not win a single soul for Christ? The church has therfore to keep in mind that missionaries never go to a country or a region to change systems, but to impact people!
• The US and other nations have offered to fly out thousands of Afghans who "helped" the troops and/or worked with them (e.g. as translators), and help them to to start new lives in America or Europe.  While this is very generous, I do not think that missionaries should nurture hopes of people we get to know and/or work with, to see their relationship with us as a means to leave their home country. After all, who went where to help whom? 
• Lastly, a sobering reminder: If an army sends soldiers on a battle field, there will be some casualties. Likewise, some missionaries will be injured, and some will die on their assignments. Like any nation takes care of those who were wounded in the battle, the church should take care of missionaries who return home injured, rather than leaving them subject to the good will of secular social welfare systems. Otherwise, who would heed the call to go in the first place?

What it takes to shake nations

Gambling/Entertainment: Las Vegas closed

Dow Jones, DAX down

About 2600 years ago, the prophet Zephania foresaw: "The Lord will be awesome to them when he destroys all the idols (gods) of the land. The nations on every shore will worship him, every one in its own land" (Zep 2:11) -  

Who would have thought that He could do this with a little virus? 

Sports: Stadiums closed, Olympics postponed

Music: Concert Halls closed

Arts: Theaters closed

Entertainment/Gambling: Las Vegas closed

Hollywood: Cinemas closed

Travel: Hotels closed, flights canceled

Economy: DowJones, DAX down

…

Yes, even Religion: Churches, mosques; temples closed!

None of the things mentioned above are evil or bad in themselves. But if they become the center of our lives (i.e. our idols), God is able to turn entire nations upside down anytime. What an opportunity to reconsider our ways! 

Turning disasters into opportunities
The church by and large missed 9/11. Let´s use this time to proclaim the gospel to the nations!

You will not hear it from the government, nor from the media: Jesus Christ still saves!

____________________________________________________________

Churches can be closed. Websites and chatrooms can be shutdown. 

But the word of God cannot be bound (see 2 Tim 2:9)!

Should Thai Christians support the "Yellow-shirts" or the "Red-shirts"?

Because of the current political situation in Thailand, I want to re-post an article that I first published in 2010 under a slightly different title (see here). So far, the recent protests have remained mainly peaceful, but the country remains deeply split into two camps and the situation continues to be very tense. As Christians, we are supposed to be "salt and light" and I therefore think it is crucial that we have the mind of Christ (or call it a "Biblical World View") on the matter. May Thai people see the peace, joy, love and unity among us Christians that only the Lord can give, and may one day the world see Thailand as a country marked by these attributes!

Here are the main parts of the original article:

A few days ago my attention was turned to Joshua 5:13-14, when Joshua encountered a man with a drawn sword just before the Israelites were to attack Jericho:

"Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell face-down to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?" Joshua 5:13-14

As we have followed the ups and downs of politics and the changing of governments and constitutions in Thailand (which seem to change more frequently than the weather in Southern California) we might be tempted to take sides and support the Red Shirts, the Yellow Shirts, or another group/color. But I am convinced that we, as the body of Christ, are not to take sides, similar to the commander of the Lord's army in the passage from Joshua quoted above. According to Romans 13, we are to obey, support, and pray for the people in authority, no matter what color they represent or how they got into the position of authority. Whether through elections, coups or by other means. We should always remember that the governments of this world are just that: they are of this world. But the Kingdom that we seek is NOT of this world! The advancing of this Kingdom of God does not depend on political systems or political parties. The Bible was written not as a manual to build kingdoms of this world (i.e. political and geographical entities known as "nations"), but as a manual for believers anywhere, anytime, no matter whether they happen to live in a monarchy, a democracy or in a communist nation like Laos. I think that the best testimony we can give to society in Thailand and to the rest of the world that's watching, is that we are content, loyal and supportive to the government at all times, even though we might not like some of the values and/or policies that each particular government stands for.

Unfortunately, there are not many good examples for us to look at, because in most nations the church is acting as if the body of Christ was nothing more than just another political lobbying group, trying to push their agenda and their values on the rest of the society. Unfortunately, this is especially true for the American church. However, when non-believers look at the church, they should not see just another political party (or color...), but something that is radically different, something that no political, religious, cultural or humanistic movement can produce. People should see us as people who genuinely long to lead a holy life, people who know their sins are forgiven, people who find their joy, confidence purpose, value and meaning in God and who try to love even those who hurt them... Another benchmark for Christians is that we are to give honor to whom honor is due, and whether the Prime Minister's name is Sonthi, Surayut, Somchai, Samak, Thaksin, Aphisit or Yingluck, we can certainly trust the Lord to work out everything for His purposes. That does not mean that we should not vote or participate in other ways in the political life of the country. It does mean, however, that we should never try to use force in any way. The only reason we have to not obey the government is when the government either tries to force us to do things that are against scripture (like bowing down to an idol) or tries to keep us from doing things that are commanded by scripture (like praying, witnessing, and raising our children according to Biblical standards). But because we know that our freedom does not depend on the rules and laws of the nations, and because we know that God is able to do everything according to his purpose we should never put our hope in any man, party,"system" or color. The Kingdom of God is not of this world, and it is not in question who is in charge of it. Let us live our lives for him who sits on the throne and reigns!

Which side is God on: Republican or Democrat? "Yellow Shirt" or "Red Shirt"?

As rumors about another military coupe in Thailand are thickening, I thought it would be a good idea to re-post an article that I initially wrote in April 2010. At that time, Thailand, the "Land of Smiles", was rocked by demonstrations in Bangkok, during which more than 90 people lost their lives. If the current, democratically elected, government that is headed by the younger sister of the vastly popular former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawat, who was ousted by the Thai military in 2006 and is in exile pretty much ever since, should really be forced out of office by the military and/or other powerful parts of society, it would almost certainly lead to greater unrests than what this beautiful country has experienced so far. Many people think that even a downright civil war could erupt at any time, if one side of the conflict should make a move that seems to be unacceptable for the other side. In this atmosphere of high tension, I think it is essential for followers of Jesus Christ to know what He, as the leader of God's people, would have His disciples do if such a crisis should really arise. Not only to steer our lives and the lives off those entrusted to us out of unnecessary harms' way, but also, or better: even more importantly so, to not dishonor the name of the Lord in the sight of non-believers. The latter is a very real danger for the church in any society, and the here mentioned principles, I am convinced, apply everywhere, anytime - no matter whether in the countries of the so called "Arab Spring", in Syria, or in seemingly stable Western democracies as in Germany or the U.S.

Prophetic Word regarding Iraq

This is what the LORD says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.”

Jeremiah 17:5-6

Although this verse does not speak about any specific situation in history, I felt the Lord pointing me to this verse several months before the US invaded Iraq. I thought it very interesting that it talks about a “bush” (Bush??) in the waste land. Anybody (!) who trusts in “flesh” (i.e. man’s strength) will eventually end up like this. The U.S. has made military its strength, in spite of all talk of “trusting in God” and God blessing America. However, God is not obligated to bless anybody who does not trust in him. On the contrary:

God is opposed to anybody who does not trust in Him but in the strength of man (see also Luke 4:6).

Unfortunately, I think this does not only describe the non-Christian parts of the society in the U.S. government, but big parts of the church as well. May the Lord have mercy on us, that we would be found trusting in Him and in Him only (see Luke 18:8). May we take warning from the fact that on 9/11 the very symbols of what modern Western society trusts in were attacked: banking, finance, trade/economy and the headquarters of the mightiest military of our time…

The U.S. campaign in Iraq is a disaster, and I believe it will not get any better, because the U.S. is still underestimating the importance of religion for the Muslim people.

Eventually, this all works into the hands of the establishment of a one-world religion, as the entire conflict that overshadows the beginning of the 21st century only proves to the secular world that a coming together of all major religions is needed to keep the peace.

Interestingly, on April 6th, 2006 the basilica of St. Francis in Assisi in Italy was reopened, after it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1998. It is the very place where pope John Paul II. had called a meeting of religious leaders from all major faiths (except evangelicals, of course) in 1986 to promote this idea. Is it really just coincidence that the place was destroyed by an earthquake, or could it be that God simply does not like this entire movement? The leaders actually reconvened in the same place in 2002, demonstrating that the movement is still alive and well (more than ever before, actually).

This prophecy from Jeremiah 17:5-6 certainly could be applied to many other conflicts throughout history. But that makes it even less understandable that, as it seems, neither political leaders nor church leaders  have not learned much from history…

(First posted on this web site a long time ago)