The European Union and The Supra-Religion

The European Union and The Supra-Religion

Dr. Robert R. Congdon

http://www.pre-trib.org/article-view.php?id=253

Today’s ex-officio alliance between the European Union and the Roman Catholic Church continues that pattern of history and appears to be bringing it to a form as foretold by both Daniel and the Apostle John. However, one must never forget that just as the Roman Empire did not control the entire world, neither does the Roman Catholic Church; it is just one independent religion among many in the world. While many Bible scholars have foreseen the Roman Church as the final super religion of the world, this may not be the case. Such a view ignores the power of other world religions, such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. Certainly, world history and its many religious conflicts demonstrate the difficulty of uniting the world’s religions into one cohesive organization.

Part 4 - Creating the Supra-Religion

Having shown that the current supra-national European Union has an ex-officio alliance with the Roman Catholic Church, all that seems to remain is for the Roman Catholic Church to move from its current position of being one among many religions to becoming the dominant religion of the world. In order to achieve this goal it must overcome two prime obstacles: the disunity of “Christian” groups and the great power and influence of competing world religions.

Historically, political power or military force have been used to overcome these obstacles. Most scenarios suggest that an imposed worldwide governmental intervention is necessary in preventing ongoing religious conflicts that wreak havoc throughout the world. As the European Union expands to 109 nations and develops its global army, it would appear that it could impose a superficial religious peace upon people groups. However, as seen in the world today, while this would bring peace on a global scale, it would not preclude religious terrorist attacks within countries. While able to maintain a worldwide peace, the European Union could not assure peace throughout every area within its control. Instead, a new form of “control” is needed that would unite all religions rather than divide or subjugate them. This “control,” however, would have to preclude the political and power struggles so typical of the past.

The following scenario proposes the means to uniting all religions without the need for a new or dominant religion, while avoiding the power struggles of the past and, at the same time, satisfying the characteristics of Revelation 17. This solution brings “peace” to the religious world through a new, unique form of religious “control,” one that is over all, above all, and supreme to all — a supra-religion. Thus, just as a new form of governing authority is needed to bring “peace” to Europe, (one above all, independent to all, and supreme to all) so too, the world will seek a religious controlling entity that is above all others while allowing subordinate religions to continue to practice their own distinctives and, thereby, creating peace through a unique unity.

A satisfactory scenario would require the supra-religion to offer:

· a system that tolerates religious differences, but negates any differences which could subvert the “peace” of the global supra-religion

· an alliance with a supra-government to enforce the necessary “tolerance” in order to assure political and religious peace in the world

· a willing acceptance by the world’s religions of a single unifying factor or controlling entity, one having a form of godliness but without the power — a counterfeit facet of Christianity The “New Toleration”

This scenario begins by changing the world’s concept of toleration toward religious differences. Even today, the Monnet Method that uses a seemingly insignificant step to establish a principle that can be “geared up” to a larger scale, is introducing the “new toleration.” This Method teaches that tolerance of all religious differences is in the interest of unity and peace. Without such tolerance, conflicts inevitably develop as history has shown. Two examples of the “new toleration” as being taught in the United Kingdom will suffice to demonstrate this method:

Example 1: Churches Together

Through Churches Together, hundreds of churches in the United Kingdom are uniting by setting aside their doctrinal differences. The driving force behind this movement is the drastic decline of Sunday church attendance and with it, the fear of extinction. With this fear comes the concept that since “we are so few in number” we cannot allow “minor” doctrines to divide us. Thus, churches pressure any who hold a divergent “minor” doctrine within the churches. One such divisive “minor” doctrine is the premillennial view of Christ’s Second Coming.[86] Believing such divisiveness “hurts the cause of Christ,” churches seek to eliminate its cause. As a result, the premillennial view is rapidly disappearing in the United Kingdom with the intent of promoting “unity” among Christians. With this “small step”, people are being “geared up” to a larger aspect of doctrinal compromise through ecumenicalism. Churches Together states:

Being ecumenical means looking up to see the big picture: what God is doing through the whole Church in the whole world. It means engaging with others in ways that bring in the Kingdom of God[87], where God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven. It means holding our remaining differences in conversation rather than conflict, engaging in dialogue rather than denouncing each other.

Unity is not singing in unison and losing our distinctiveness:

Unity is singing in harmony, each person and tradition enriching the others.

Churches Together respects the distinctiveness of the “Churches”, but looks to a time when they will be “Together”. [88]

Today’s membership includes the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, Methodists, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Quakers, Free Presbyterians, and many independent groups. A similar movement, the Emerging Church in the United States, is following the same pattern.

Example 2: Reunification

Beginning in the 1940’s, militant amillennialism now has displaced premillennialism in most churches throughout England and Scotland. With the establishment of the principle that Christian groups should not allow “divisive minor” doctrines to hinder unity, UK church leaders are gearing up for the next major move toward unity.

That major move is the formal reunification of the Roman Catholic Church with the Church of England. When complete, England will have peacefully reversed the events of the English Reformation. This unification will benefit both the European Union and the Roman Church. Today the countries of the European Union are predominantly Roman Catholic, with England being the lone Protestant land. Thus, unification of the UK churches under the Roman banner strengthens the unity of the European Union alliance.

The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) is following a three-step process that is the mechanism for resolving the historic division between Rome and the Church of England. Their first resolution, Step One, was reached in May of 1999 and declared the Pope as having primacy over the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury if a “new united church” were established.[89]

In Step Two of this year further agreement was reached on the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception of Mary and her assumption of “body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthly life.” The Church of England participants declared these doctrines “consonant” with Anglican readings of the Bible.[90]

Step Three will, no doubt, advance the doctrine of Mary’s co-redeemership, a doctrine that the late Pope believed and promoted. Through this three-step process, the churches in England will unite with the Roman Catholic Church by removing “divisive” doctrines and by establishing peace within the “Christian” sects. However, the reality will be the elimination of the properly divisive doctrine of the exclusivity of Jesus Christ and salvation only through Him, a doctrine held today by only a minority within the Anglican Church.

An Alliance with a Supra-Government

The typical Brit today has been conditioned through schools and the media to reject and to regard the proclamation that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven (John 14:6, Acts 4:12) as being intolerant, divisive, and hateful toward other beliefs. Additionally, under the guise of protecting its states from incitement to terrorism, the European Union is promoting laws prohibiting exclusivity of a religious belief. The “Genocide Treaty, signed by many nations, though not yet enforced, makes it a crime to suggest that someone’s religious beliefs are false and to try to convert them.”[91] In order to eliminate “intolerant” people and their resultant threat to society’s peace and to the coming supra-religion, a supra-national government must not allow anyone to express his or her contrary beliefs publicly.

Thus, the “new toleration” will bring religious peace to Europe while the European Union will bring governmental peace. The re-unification of the Roman Church with the Anglican Church will eliminate the last significant Protestant influence in Europe.

Recent events, such as the stated goal of the European Union to include the countries of the Middle East, both Muslim and Jewish, would seem to enlarge the “Dream.” Furthermore, longer-range goals are to add all of the Mediterranean countries, including those practicing African religions. After these goals are completed, the re-named “Union” then envisions the inclusion of the entire western hemisphere; thus, Canada and the United States would be brought into this alliance of global government and the Roman Catholic Church. South America is already predominantly Roman Catholic and working with the European Union through Mercosur. This final expansion may, in part, explain the growing French Roman Catholic influence in Canada and the massive Hispanic movement into the United States. Were the supra-national government of the European Union to fully ally with the Roman Church in these countries, it would become a very powerful governmental/spiritual alliance.

However, this expansion does not solve the problem of how to integrate the Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, and African Pagan religions into this alliance. Certainly none of these religions would accept Roman Catholicism or its dominance. History demonstrates that dominance will not work.

The Unifying Factor

The solution to the unification of the world’s religions lies in finding a “unifying factor,” one having the ruling authority of a supra-religion. Such a factor must:

· Be accepted by all the religions of the world and the supra-government

· Reflect a common denominator to all and, therefore, be acceptable to all

· Be a counterfeit of the genuine Faith Governmental Acceptance

Following a worldwide congress on religion, the French Interior Minister spoke of a need for a “’one world religion’ where individual faiths can live side-by-side under one umbrella…to establish peace and prosperity in the European Union.”[92] The European Union frequently uses the image of the mythical goddess, Europa, as a unifying theme. They have chosen to use “Europa” as the name of their website. A metal sculpture outside of the European Union’s Office Building is that of Europa seated upon a bull. The mythical story of Europa tells of how the god, Zeus carried her off resulting in a child who was miraculously resurrected. This story is often seen as a parallel to the story of Mary, as the virgin mother of Jesus. The European Union’s national anthem, designed to unify the peoples of the many member-states, continues the mother-goddess theme.

Owing to the need for a universal anthem that transcends the nationalities of its member states and which eliminates translation problems, the European Union did not assign lyrics to their anthem. The anthem they chose was Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. While they disavow any lyrics, it is hard to disassociate the original German lyrics of the Ode to Joy from the European Union’s anthem. A recent translation of these lyrics suggests a possible unifying factor within the anthem. The lyrics are as follows:

Ode to Joy[93]

Joy, Oh! Divine scintillation

Sparkling from Elysium[94],

With a cheerful animation

Goddess, to thy shrine we come

These our nations once divided

Now your magic spells unite,

Where your wind does beat around them

Brotherhood and love delight.

With a kiss bestowed on millions

Embraced in fraternity,

Let us build a world of union

And peace for all humanity

Clearly, these lyrics express a relationship to the mythical Europa and her ability to unite the world. Thus, the desire of the EU to work with the Roman Church and the Roman Church’s equally significant desire to lead in the European Union, assure the willingness of the European Union to accept any female “goddess” that could unify the world’s religions.

Even the New Age movement speaks of a unifying “goddess.” Beatrice Bruteau triumphantly says: “But the presence of the Goddess herself has never departed from her holy place in our consciousness, and now, as we enter what may fall to be a ‘new age,’ we sense that the Goddess is somehow making her way back to us. But in just what guise is so far unclear.”[95] Notice, that the New Agers are ready to accept the “goddess” in whatever form she appears.

The Humanists call for unification through both a supra-national government and a world church. “We deplore the division of humankind on nationalistic grounds. We have reached a turning point in history where the best option is to transcend the limits of national sovereignty and to move toward the building of a world community in which all sectors of the human family can participate.”[96] They continue to support a “movement toward one-world government and a single church or religion.”[97]

Rome not Ready for a Unifying Factor?

However, considering the power of the Roman Church it is hard to understand how it could accept a unifying factor coming from outside of the Roman Church. Speaking of a recent ecumenical gathering suggesting such a unifying factor outside of the Roman Church, Peter Scott of the Ignatian Society of Saint Pius X stated:

Such a humanitarian dread (the union proposed at the Congress) to bring about a one-world super religion, more universal than the Catholic Church, uniting all men of all religions, without in any way diminishing their personal religious convictions, is not something new in history of the Church.[98]

He calls such a move of unification a “religious indifferentism.” He cited the example of the Roman Church’s reaction to a similar movement called Sillon, developed in France at the turn of the century. In 1910, Pope Pius X denounced it while pointing out how such a movement would lead to a one-world religion resulting in an apostasy of the Roman Catholic faith.[99] Countering this opposition is a counter proposal made by Rome.

A Roman Solution for a Unifying Factor

The late Pope offered the Roman Catholic Virgin Mary[100] as the unifying factor when he said, “…under the patronage of Mary, the human family will be drawn ever more closely into fraternal unity and peaceful coexistence.”[101] When this is properly studied, it will be evident that not only would the various Christian groups acknowledge her, but so, too, would the Muslims, Hindus, African Pagans, and other religious groups. Additionally, by basing the Roman Catholic Mary on the true Biblical Mary, the global Mary[102] of the supra-religion becomes a counterfeit of the true Biblical Mary. This counterfeit aspect grows greater when one considers Mary as immaculately conceived, bodily assumed into heaven, interceding in heaven, and co-redeemer.

Pope John Paul II believed that the Roman Mary would bring about the ultimate victory of the Universal Church. In his book, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, he said, “On this universal level, if victory comes it will be brought by Mary. Christ will conquer through her, because he wants the Church’s victories now and in the future to be linked to her.”[103] In the largest gathering of the Roman Church since Vatican II, Pope John Paul II entrusted humanity and the third millennium to Our Lady of Fatima. In his lengthy prayer he began by saying “Everything in you is fiat: you are the Immaculate One, through you there shines the fullness of grace.”[104] He then committed the future to her and expressed his entrusting of the world to her; “Here we stand before you to entrust to your maternal care ourselves, the Church, the entire world.”[105] Concluding he said, “To you, Dawn of Salvation, we commit our journey through the new millennium…”[106]

Found throughout the world are Marian followers, but a particular group called the Blue Army has over 20 million members.[107] A second group, the Marian Movement of Priests, has a membership of 100,000 priests out of the 400,000 priests of the Roman Church.[108] In a Marian apparition to Fr. Gobbi, Mary supposedly said:

But in the furious struggle of these last times, this struggle between heaven and earth, between the heavenly spirits and the demons, between the Woman and the Dragon, I appear as a great sign of my greatest victory . . . for this great victory, I have formed for myself the cohort of all my little children who, from every part of the world, have responded to me with a yes….I have formed for myself my victorious army.[109]

In another message to Gobbi, Mary is reported to have said, “With extraordinary signs which I am giving in every part of the world…I am pointing out to everyone the approaching of the great day of the Lord.”[110] With her warnings concerning the times, she emphasizes that she has come as the “Blessed Mother” for all people of the world, regardless of their religion.[111] In the same message, she urged all to pray, “…for all religions, because we know that we have divided ourselves by religion.”

In a message given to Ida Peerdeman of Alkmaar, Holland, on May 31, 1954, Mary supposedly indicated that when the dogma, the last Marian dogma of history,[112] has been proclaimed she will give peace, true peace to the world. She stipulated that the nations must say “My prayer in union with the Church” and proclaim her co-redemptrix, mediatrix, and advocate.[113]

De Montfort, a past devotee of Our Lady, predicted, “The power of Mary over all devils will be particularly outstanding in the last period of time. She will extend the Kingdom of Christ over the idolaters and Moslems, and there will come a glorious era in which Mary will be ruler and queen of human hearts.”[114]

Perhaps Muslims will allow this “extension of the kingdom” over them in part because some of Mary’s most famous apparitions have occurred at Fatima. The village of Fatima was named after the daughter of Mohammed, founder of Islam. Her Arabic name means, “shinning one.” She was born (c. 605) in Mecca of Saudi Arabia and died in Medina in 633.

Since the appearances at Fatima and those at Lourdes, France, additional appearances have been recorded around the world. Many eyewitness accounts describe the apparition as being brilliant to behold and arrayed with every splendor. Fifteen to twenty million followers visit the Marian shrine in Guadalupe, Mexico every year.[115] Here the Roman Mary first appeared on 12 December 1531 to Juan Diego. In 1999, over five million people came to honor “Our Lady” on the anniversary of this apparition.[116] This was the first time in church history that all bishops and priests of the Western Hemisphere honored her feast. She also has appeared in Bosnia, the state of Georgia, Poland, Venezuela, Egypt, Israel, Rwanda, Japan, Australia, Chile, Canada and many other places.[117]

On 31 May 1954, at her appearance to Ida Peerdeman, she proclaimed herself the “Lady of All Nations” and expressed the desire that the Roman church proclaim her the co-redemptrix.[118]

According to Newsweek: “In many ways, the 20^th century has belonged to Mary. From almost every continent, visionaries have reported more than 400 ‘apparitions’ of the Virgin – more than in the previous three centuries combined. Taken together, these visions point to what the Marian Movement believes is a millennial ‘Age of Mary.’”[119]

Mary’s message at Medjugorje sums up the messages of her many appearances:

Dear children, today I invite you to peace. I have come here as the Queen of Peace and I desire to enrich you with my Motherly Peace. I invite you to become carriers and witnesses of my peace to this unpeaceful world. Let peace rule in the whole world which is without peace and longs for peace.[120]

With the exception that she once referred to Him as “the little Jesus,” there has been no mention of the Lord Jesus Christ or the need of redemption through Him.[121] In another quote, she declared that Muslims and the Orthodox, for the same reason as Catholics, are equal before “my Son and I. You are all my children.”[122]

Through these appearances, the Roman Mary of the 21^st century appeals to people of all nations, all beliefs, and all cultures. Her message of peace is what many want to hear. The Los Angeles Times noted that unprecedented numbers outside of Roman Catholicism have received comfort from Mary.[123]

In 1983 hundreds of Palestinian Arabs “saw the Virgin Mary” near Bethlehem. She has appeared also in Rwanda, Japan, Australia, Chile, Poland, Canada, Cairo, Amsterdam, and in many other locations.[124]

Muslims Might Accept Her

While Roman Catholicism could certainly accept Mary as the unifying factor, could Islam also accept her? Muslims do show considerable interest in Mary. In the Koran, Mohammed spoke of Mary, either directly or indirectly, over thirty-four times in chapters (Suras) 3, 4, 33, 43, 57 and 66. Additionally, an entire chapter (Sura 19) is named after Mary.[125]

For example, the Koran says explicitly, "And she who had remained a virgin ... We have breathed our Spirit upon her. We have made of her and her Son a sign to the world"(Sura 31, v. 91) (Mary is) "chosen over all women in the world."[126] Mary is “the most honoured woman in Islam, and the only one to have an entire chapter (the 19^th surah) named after her in the Koran….The Islamic tradition holds that Jesus and his mother are the only two human souls who were not touched by Satan at birth.”[127] Therefore, it supports the concept of Immaculate Conception, a key “common denominator” for reunification between the Church of England and the Roman Church. Interestingly, all references to Jesus Christ are “Jesus son of Mary” rather than “Son of God.” While denying Christ’s deity, Islam does hold Jesus and Mary in high esteem.[128]

Hindus ready?

Other religious leaders have also made the pilgrimage to Fatima. In May 2004, the Dali Lama visited and prayed at the Fatima shrine. After a Hindu priest, Sha Tri, prayed at the altar, the Rector of the shrine said such meetings gave them the opportunity to “remind ourselves that we live in community.”[129] The Hindu priest placed a Hindu priestly shawl, engraved with inscriptions from the Begavad Gita, “on the shoulders of the highest representative of the Church in Fatima…”[130]

Following these events there were rumors of the removal of the Rector of the shrine by the Bishop of Lisbon, but by October of 2004, the Bishop related the Vatican’s support of him and the “personal instructions” from the late Pope regarding inter-religious dialogue.[131]

The movement in Fatima reveals that rather than seeing Roman Catholicism as becoming the only worldwide religion, those at Fatima foresee a pan-representative religious system centering on the least common denominator. A congress was sanctioned by leaders within the Roman Church with a purpose that suggests that they are supra-religionists and prime for a supra-religion.

Transforming the Roman Mary to the Global Mary

The Vatican, uniting with the United Nations, sponsored an inter-faith congress at Fatima’s shrine, 10-12 October 2003, entitled “The Present of Man - The Future of God.”[132] The Bishop of Leiria-Fatima instigated the congress and the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon and the Prefect of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue presided over it.[133] [134] The choice of Fatima reflected the fact that the Fatima shrine is rapidly becoming the centre for all the world’s religions to come to worship. Over 4.5 million people a year come to Fatima. This latest congress included Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Eastern Orthodox, Buddhist, and African Pagan representatives.

At the congress, the shrine’s rector said, “The future of Fatima, or the adoration of God and His mother at this holy Shrine, must pass through the creation of a shrine where different religions can mingle.…the Shrine of Fatima is not indifferent to this fact and is already open to being a universalistic place of vocation.”

This outreach to the Roman Mary far exceeded what most people anticipated. The Hindu representative, Ansshok Ansraj speaking to the congress in Fatima,, pointed out that “in the Far East millions of Hindus are getting ‘positive vibrations’ from visiting Marian shrines without endangering their faith.”[135]

This danger is the fear of proselytization. Anticipating such a fear, the congress released a statement that prohibited proselytizing by all religions. “No one religion can eradicate another or strengthen itself by downplaying others and an open dialogue is the way to building bridges and tearing down walls of centuries of hate. What is needed is that each religion be true to its faith integrally and treat each religion on the same footing of equality with no inferior or superiority complexes.”[136]

The Coming of Mary before the Anti-Christ

Clearly, the intent of these groups is to allow existing religious actions and beliefs to continue but to unite rather than to separate themselves. Father Jacques Dupuis, one of the principle speakers of the Fatima congress called for just such a union. “The religion of the future will be a general converging of religions in a universal Christ that will satisfy all.”[137]

This paper proposes that the ultimate “universal Christ” will be the anti-Christ, brought to power by Satan (Revelation 13:2). The global Mary is neither the anti-Christ nor the false prophet of Revelation 13. In her role as a counterfeit of the true Biblical Mary, she will promote the idea of a universal Christ in a mode similar to the Biblical Mary’s proclamation concerning God and her Savior in the Magnificent of Luke 1:47-55. As seen later in this paper, this counterfeit role expands as we delve further into the actual history of mother/child goddesses. Thus, the global Mary, the woman seated upon a scarlet-colored beast of Revelation 17:3, will serve in as co-redeemer and intercessor between man and the “universal Christ” (the anti-Christ) prior to his assumption of all worship in the second half of the Tribulation (Revelation 17:7,8). In this role, the global Mary serves as a unifying factor drawing the world’s religions together in preparation for the acceptance of the anti-Christ and his worship system.

With the ongoing growth in the ecumenical movement as seen at Fatima, Roman Catholicism may become just a part of the whole system that places Mary and her declarations as the supra-ruling entity of the supra-religion. With a following consisting of both Muslims and Roman Catholics, over 2 billion people could be obeying Mary. If we add the Protestant groups and others who could subscribe to the pan-religious perspective, half the world’s population could be under the supra-religion centered upon the Magna Mater (as she is often called) of Fatima.

In addition to the world’s desire for unity and religious peace; certainly, power, influence, and money are contributing factors that will drive these groups together. Fatima, one of the most profitable religious venues in the world, netted a profit in excess of 8.4 million euros in 2003,[138]

The Alternative Scenario – The Supra-Religion

With this background information, this paper will now complete the supra-religion scenario and explain why such a scenario “fits” Revelation 17 and 18. In so doing, it sets the stage for God’s ultimate triumph, glorification, and establishment of Jesus Christ’s earthly millennial kingdom and the restoration of the earth as promised by God.

The Global Mary will arise out of the spirit of “new toleration” in the world, encouraged by the rising power of the European Union as it seeks global governance. The peoples of the world, seeking not only world political peace, will turn to a Global Mary for religious peace. Perhaps through a grand apparition, she will offer a lie or great deception (2 Thessalonians 2:11) to explain the disappearance of the countless people, true believers, at the Rapture of the true Church, and offer the comfort sought by those left behind. They will see in her all the graces, gifts, beauty, comfort, and love of a mother for mankind. The world’s religions, already positive to the Roman Mary, will acknowledge her countless apparitions and accept her as the Global Mary and unite under her direction, authority, and rule. She will be the supra-religion’s governing authority issuing decrees by various apparitions. As the supra-entity, she will be independent of all religions and favor none. She will leave intact their various worship rites and lesser doctrines, requiring only the acceptance of her immaculate conception, intercessory powers, and co-redemptive powers. She will then direct the people of the world (Revelation 17:2, 5, 18),[139] through an alliance with the supra-government, to unity and acceptance of the anti-Christ to solve all remaining problems. He will then assume all supra-governmental authority and all supra-religion authority, eventually displacing the Global Mary and assuming the role of global political leader and god of the world, empowered by Satan and, thereby, fulfilling Satan’s desire to be “like the Most High (Isaiah 14:14).”

In accomplishing this, Satan will fulfill his dream begun in Heaven and manifested at Babylon in mankind’s first attempt at uniting world government and worship. One might ask how this connection back to Babel or Babylon can be made.

A Return to Where it all Began

In Revelation 17:5, John informs us that upon the harlot’s forehead is the name, “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.” Thus, John links the harlot, who we propose to be the Global Mary, with the land of Babylon.

Biblically, a name is placed on the forehead to describe qualities about the person bearing the label. In Revelation 19:12, Christ is described as having “a name written, that no man knew, but he himself” until He returns as the “Word of God” to the earth to conquer and restore the earthly kingdom to Himself. At that time He receives the name “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev. 19:16). True believers also have God’s name written on their foreheads (Rev. 14:1 and 22:4).

In ancient Roman times, harlots were identified by names written on their foreheads.[140] This provided the obvious function of distinguishing one harlot from another. Just such a label declares the name of the harlot of Revelation 17 to be a “mystery.” Her name “Babylon” is a mystery, a hidden thing, a secret thing.[141] Thus, at the appropriate time “…the true character and identity of the woman, previously kept concealed, are now objects of clear revelation.”[142] Additionally, the syntactical grammar of this verse suggests that the woman’s complete name is “Babylon the Great.”[143] Consequently, we would expect that from Babel to the Tribulation, the identity of the harlot will be hidden until fully revealed as the mother of religious harlots who does not have a legal or rightful relationship to the God of the Bible.

While many would attach mystical or allegorical references to the name, “Babylon the Great,” we understand it in its apparent or obvious reference. Based upon this conclusion, we believe the intention is to take the reader back to ancient Babel upon the plain of Shinar. As many have rightly concluded, the satanic governmental and religious unity begun with Nimrod will end in a final attempt to reach its pinnacle in the latter days.[144]

Back to Babel

This seems a very appropriate conclusion, for Babylon is where the first organized false religion began and, as such, is the “mother” of counterfeit religions. Additionally, throughout the history of Israel and God’s people, Babylon has been a source of problems that have plagued the world right up to the present day.[145]

Therefore, Babylon, allied with a supra-religion, will once again become the center for the world’s idolatrous worship system that will epitomize satanic worship and opposition to God.[146] Just as Nimrod in ancient days attempted to provide mankind with a central location for Satan worship and rulership so too, in the latter days, will mankind again return to this locality in an attempt to regain the unity lost at Babel. John Walvoord summarizes the use of Babylon as being “the name for a great system of religious error.”[147]

The logistics for the re-establishment of Babylon is not hard to imagine. In a desire to pacify the Muslim world and to assist in the unification process under the Global Mary, the world will re-build Babylon. In doing this, it will help to distance Rome from the Global Mary, perhaps by renaming her Magna Mater. The recent construction of an entire city, Dubai Internet City, demonstrates the speed of such construction. With sixteen office buildings, 220 luxury residential villas and 10,000 workers, this city has grown in just three years to providing complete business and a community infrastructure for ICT companies.[148]

It may be that Walvoord’s “great system” has actually been a single system since its inception at Babel, deceptively morphing its outward disguise through the centuries of world history while maintaining its essential elements of harlotry or rebellion against God and supporting Satan’s goals of being a counterfeit of God, i.e., “like the Most High.”

Ancient Babel’s Harlotry

The “system” is the abominable religion of ancient Babel. Satan in his rebellion has always sought to mimic God’s worship with a counterfeit religion. Thus, we find that Satan has an anti-Christ in opposition to God’s Christ. Satan has attempted to limit mankind’s expansion throughout the world, “lest we be scattered (Genesis 11:4)”in opposition to God’s commandment to “fill the earth.” He seeks to limit mankind’s reproductive efforts (abortion, homo-sexual movement, late marriages, etc), while God commanded man to “be fruitful and multiply.” Therefore, we would expect a form of worship that is a counterfeit of the worship of God.

Any religious system that deprives God of His rightful glory is guilty of spiritual harlotry and abominable to God. This final system rightly would be called the “mother of harlots” for having spawned other systems of “spiritual harlotry” throughout history. Our task is to attempt to discover the true nature of the original Babylonian harlotry and too see if it has continued to this very day and will potentially become the final harlot or Magna Mater of our hypothesis.

In Revelation 17:3, the Spirit took John into the wilderness, a solitary or desolate place.[149] Apparently, the location gave John a better perspective from which to study this “woman.”[150] It was from there, also, that, John had viewed “the beast” as he stood upon the “sand of the sea (Rev. 13:1).” Combining the picture of the “sand of the sea” with the “wilderness,” with John’s discussion of Babylon in Revelation 17 and 18, we are led back to Isaiah 21 where Isaiah also sees a fallen Babylon by the desert or wilderness of the sea (v. 9).[151]

The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land

Isaiah 21:1

In this chapter God speaks through Isaiah to encourage Israel during the Babylonian Captivity, by promising to judge Babylon and her false gods (Isaiah 21:9).

…Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

Isaiah 21:9

This promised judgment is quite similar to the judgment of Babylon in Revelation 18:10, “Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come.” Isaiah had spoken previously of this judgment in Isaiah 14:4, “That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! The golden city ceased!” We note that at this point in history, “the whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing” (v. 7).

It is proposed that while Isaiah begins with the king of Babylon (v. 4) he moves from the lesser to the greater and describes the fall of Satan, the power behind Babylon, in the same chapter (v. 15). Thus, in verses thirteen and fourteen, Satan declares his goal of being “upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” In verse fifteen, God declares Satan’s ultimate defeat by declaring “Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” Thus, the Biblical evidence appears to link Babylon, its false religion and its idols, with Satan’s desire for world conquest and worship.[152]

As ancient Babel began by seeking to unite governmental and religious elements, logic would suggest that mankind’s final governmental and religious system will seek to re-establish the unity lost at Babel. Therefore, the beast “controls the system politically, but the woman represents the false religion that gives spiritual cohesion to the system.”[153] Recalling that Daniel’s picture of the final form of the Roman Empire was made of iron and clay, it is logical to conclude that the clay symbolically pictures the final supra-religion that binds the diverse peoples, the “many waters” of Revelation 17:1, together in the supra-national governmental world.

Ancient Babel’s Thread in History

Based upon this background, it is now necessary to examine Babel’s ancient abominable belief. Nimrod began Babel in the land of Shinar (Genesis 10:10), by seeking to unite the world’s peoples together by building the Tower of Babel.

Biblical references to Shinar suggest a rather “sinister” aspect to the location. Aside from Nimrod’s construction of a tower there, in “Dan 1:2 it is the land of Shinar to which Nebuchadnezzar removes the vessels of the temple of God, and in Isa 11:11 we are told that Shinar is one of the lands from which regathered Israel will return when the Millennial age is established. In Zech 5:11 the woman in the ephah, representing the concentration of evil (v. 8), is removed to the land of Shinar where a temple is built for her.”[154] Shinar is “the major center for the development of a culture and civilization built on counterfeit religion.”[155]

Tradition teaches that Nimrod’s wife, Semiramis, initiated Babel’s counterfeit religion. There are many variations of this false religion, but one aspect is very clear, a worship cult developed around her that transcends time and cultures. She appears throughout the ancient world under various names and descriptions, thereby hiding her true identity. In her role as mother-child goddess she appears as Nina (Assyria), Ishtar (Samaria), Isis (Egypt), Aphrodite/Astarte (Greece, Phoenicia, Syria), Cybele (Phrygia), and Venus (Rome).

These legends always involve her son, Tammuz, also known as Adonis (Greek)[156] and Osiris (Egyptian).[157] Sometimes his birth is described as miraculous, as is his death and resurrection.[158] Ezekiel 8:14 records the circumstances of Israel’s “abominable” commemoration of this death and resurrection.[159] Often Tammuz worship included prostitution or harlotry.[160] The common “thread” of these ancient records appears to be a “satanic anticipation of the resurrection of Christ.”[161]

In Akkadia, she is part of an astral triad consisting of her as Venus, along with Shamash, the sun god, and Sin, the moon god. In this triad, a circle of six, eight, or sixteen star rays symbolize her.[162] This imagery bears a remarkable likeness to the false interpretation given to the “woman” of Revelation 12:1. Even a cursory study of these ancient forms of worship of the mother goddess shows certain common elements passing down from culture to culture throughout history. These elements include: a mother giving birth to a miraculous child, a close relationship between mother and child, the resurrection of the child, some aspect of a bull, the sprinkling of holy water, virgins for prostitution, and other abominable practices.[163]

The Counterfeit

Keeping in mind that this false religion originated in Babel as Satan’s counterfeit of God’s plan and Tammuz’s description as being “the Anointed”,[164] he was “presented to the people as a savior, in fulfillment of the promise made to Eve concerning her seed (Genesis 3:15).”[165] Thus, Semiramis would be the satanic version of the “woman” who’s “seed” brings salvation. Once again, Satan offered his substitute for that which God would accomplish. Instead of the Biblical Mary giving birth to Jesus of Nazareth, Semiramis was the anti-Biblical Mary giving birth to the anti-Jesus, Tammuz. In the ancient world, the emphasis shifted from the “seed” to the great mother, Semiramis. Since we believe the true “Seed” is Jesus Christ, God Himself, then any diversion to any other savior is an abomination and those who follow the woman instead of Christ have gone after a “harlot” and worshipped incorrectly.

From this, we see a principle: By offering a false savior, Satan creates a counterfeit religion that diverts people to him instead of God. The actions of the false mimic the characteristics of God’s true Savior, Jesus Christ. God destroyed the false unity of Babel by forcing the people to spread out upon the earth, but sadly, they took with them the false religion of Semiramis, sometimes called the “Queen of heaven.”[166] Even Israel was subject to her infection, for they prepared cakes for the “queen of heaven,” along with incense to her (Jer. 44:17-19, 25). Even today, Roman Catholics pray to Mary, the “Queen of Heaven.”

In her “motherly goddess role” Semiramis became the “model and original of every goddess and female cult figure in the ancient and modern worlds (either directly or by derivation)….”[167] The spread of this evil cult and the commonality of its concepts found in most ancient societies evidences the worship of Semiramis as the “great mother (Magna Mater)” and the deified “queen of heaven.” Ultimately the church at Pergamos evidenced its evil and had to be warned against it by God (Rev. 2:13-14). From Babel to 90 ad, the thread of Semiramis’ religion passed through history.

Considering these ancient records of cults and the evidence seen in the Bible, one concludes that the original form of pagan Babel’s harlotry was a religion centered upon a mother goddess whose son was resurrected. While the son was worshipped, the emphasis always moved to his mother. Today the Roman Mary fulfills a similar role. With the start of the Tribulation, or shortly before, she will morph into the Global Mary, the Magna Mater, the “mother of harlots.”

We suggest two reasons for the success of this false ongoing counterfeit religion. First, mankind is always sympathetic to motherhood and the high place given to mothers. The second is that, sadly, the sensual nature of man finds any evil worship that involves virgins and prostitution appealing. In the religion of the Magna Mater, the two incongruous concepts blended to create spiritual harlotry, the exact opposite of the true Bible teaching of womanhood and the virgin birth.

The following is a summary of our conclusion concerning the counterfeit Magna Mater of history:

1. Semiramis of Babel is the originator, the Magna Mater of all counterfeit religions and is demonic.

2. The Magna Mater cult is a perverted attempt by Satan to distract from the true teaching of Genesis 3:15, which gives Jesus Christ His rightful position as Savior and bestows on the Biblical Mary the correct position as His earthly mother, a sinner who found redemption through her Savior.

3. The Magna Mater cult offered a counterfeit anti-Mary as a substitute for God’s Biblical Mary.

4. The Magna Mater cult detracts from true godly worship by centering attention on the Magna Mater, the mother goddess.

5. Those who worship the Magna Mater, by partaking with a spiritual harlot, divert worship from the true God.

6. By incorrectly interpreting Revelation 12:1, the Magna Mater falsely replaces Israel.

7. The son of the Magna Mater is supposedly resurrected and presents as a false savior offering a counterfeit gospel.

In addition, no discussion of the Magna Mater would be complete that neglects to address the significance of the bull that she often is seen riding in many accounts, even as late as the Roman Empire in the mystery religions of Mithra.[168]

Woman on a Beast

Early readers of the Book of Revelation in the Roman world of ad 90 easily would have associated the statements in Revelation 17 with Magna Mater upon the beast. They would have understood that Revelation 17 foretold God’s ultimate judgment upon the Magna Mater counterfeit religion that began at Babel. Certainly, that judgment did not come in that first century.

By the 4^th century, Christianity had become the preferred religion of the Roman Empire and with “acceptance”, the Greek-Roman pagans began to infect the church with the counterfeit. As a result:

Thousands of the people who entered the church brought with them the superstitions and devotions which they had long given to Isis, Ishtar, Diana, Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, and other goddesses, which were then conveniently transferred to Mary. Statues were dedicated to her, as there had been statue dedicated to Isis, Diana, and others, and before them the people kneeled and prayed as they had been accustomed to do before the statue of the heathen goddesses.[169]

By the 5^th century, the Romans renamed “Isis” and “Horus,” calling them “Mary” and “Jesus.”[170]

The Common Thread of Harlotry

Going by various names and configurations from Babel to the Roman Empire, the Magna Mater counterfeit religion has been the invisible entity holding people in bondage to counterfeit religions propagated by Satan and designed to bring him to the position of being a counterfeit god, “like the Most High.” Thus, the mother-child goddess image has spanned 2500 years of ancient history.

That image continues into the 21^st century, as seen in the symbols of the European Union. Standing outside of the EU office building is a metal sculpture of a woman on a bull. Additionally, on the dome of the new £8 million Parliament Building in Strasbourg there is a colossal painting of a woman riding a beast, while in the Parliamentary office building, there is a huge painting of a nearly naked woman upon a beast.[171] The Euro currency shows a similar figure. Using such imagery, the European Union revives and strengthens the ancient Greek myth, Europa.

Another Form of the Magna Mater?

In Greek mythology Europa, the daughter of a Phoenician king of Tyre was out gathering flowers by the seashore. The god Zeus spied her and fell in love with her. Desiring her, he took the form of a beautiful chestnut colored bull and enticed her onto his back. Before she could jump off, he took her across the sea to the island of Crete where she bore him a son. Artists have painted the image of the woman on the beast throughout history. Archaeology attests to the antiquity of the image.[172] Europa is merely the Greek image of Semiramis, the Magna Mater.

It is very difficult to find any definitive basis for the naming of Europe after Europa. One can only note that her many legendary travels in the land now called Europe gave the continent its name. Many stories seem to indicate that her travels reflect her journey from maidenhood to full maturity, from life to death to rebirth.[173] Perhaps this is why the European Union chose the symbol, for in the supra-national European Union is seen the rebirth of Europe and the Roman Empire. If the European Union is the embryonic form of Daniel’s latter day, fourth global empire, then perhaps the supra-religion of the Magna Mater is near.

Paul informs us that Jesus Christ “gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world [age], according to the will of God and our Father” (Galatians 1:4). Just four verses later, he warns that “though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (v. 8). Certainly, any angel from heaven preaching another, i.e., a counterfeit gospel, would have to be a fallen angel. Thus, through true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are delivered from the evil age, referring to the age before the Messianic Kingdom. However, for those without such a trust in Christ, they are in danger of believing a counterfeit gospel. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul indicates that in this present age, the “mystery of iniquity doth already work” (2 Thessalonians 2:7). We believe this “mystery” is none other that the counterfeit religion, that will reach its height when the anti-Christ is revealed (v. 9). Notice it is “after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” that will include the Magna Mater of the supra-religion. Perhaps this is the “strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (v. 11). Happily as Paul explains, the Lord Jesus Christ will “consume” it all “with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming” (v. 8). We trust that the reader does know the Lord Jesus Christ as His personal savior and with Paul can rejoice that “He called you by our gospel [the true gospel], to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions [ordinances][174] which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle” (vv.14-15). With the Second Coming of the Lord all will be revealed, including His Bride, and the counterfeit of Satan and his dreams will be destroyed.

The supra-religion and its Magna Mater may not be the actual scenario, but it can be said that world events surrounding us would suggest that God’s true Son, Jesus Christ, may soon come for His Bride “that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). With the Apostle John, we too pray, “Amen, even so come Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).

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[1] “In the Land of Knox, Religion Isn’t What It Was” The Scotsman., http://news.scotsman.com. (1 Mar. 2005).

[2] Jonathan Petre. “Churches on Road to Doom if Trends Continue.” The Daily Telegraph, Saturday Sept 3, 2005. No. 46,729, page 1- Scottish Section. (1 Mar 2005).

[3] Note: the constitution is merely the latest treaty amending the operation of the European Union. The rejection by two members of the constitution does not signify the complete rejection of the constitution nor the end of the European Union. Great efforts are underway to approve the constitution by circumventing the referendum of France and the Netherlands.

[4] Governments of Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia, Italy, and Malta – “EU Constitution Omits Reference to Christianity,” The New American, July 26, 2004, page 7. Also, Thomas Dixon. “Ignoring God in the Constitution” Christianity Today. 25 Jun 2003. http://www.christianity today.com. (3 Mar 2005).

[5] Thomas Dixon. “Ignoring God in the Constitution”

[6] “The Portugal News Reports the Facts on Fatima Congress” The News, Portugal’s English Language Online Newspaper. 15 Nov 2003. www.the-news.net (3 Mar 2005).

[7] Victoria Neufeldt, editor in chief. “Supra-“ Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English 3^rd ed. (New York: Prentice Hall, 1994).

[8] Michelle Cini, European Union Politics. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003), p. 1.

[9] John Walvoord. The Revelation of Jesus Christ – A Commentary by John Walvoord. (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1966), p. 243. See also, David Levy, Revelation, Hearing the Last Word. (Bellmawr, NJ: The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc., 1999), p. 189.

[10] Robert L. Thomas. Revelation 8-22, An Exegetical Commentary. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), p. 282, quoting Ford, Revelation, p. 277; Wall, Revelation, p. 205.

[11] James Strong. “Strong’s Concordance”. Online Bible (Version 2), Strong’s # 3173.

[12] Thomas, 282.

[13] Thomas, 282; Johnson, “Revelation,” 12:555; Hailey, Revelation, p. 343; Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, The Book of Revelation (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 19990), p. 182.

[14] Herman A. Hoyt. Studies in Revelation. (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1977), p. 111.

[15] Walvoord, p. 243.

[16] Walvoord, 244.

[17] Henry Alford. The Greek Testament - Vol. 4. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1958), p. 706.

[18] Thomas, p. 283. See also, Walvoord, p. 243.

[19] Thomas quotes Hailey, Revelation, pp. 342-43, p. 283.

[20] Walvoord, p. 243.

[21] “Travel – Strausbourg/EU” Ordo Praeicatorum – The Order of Preachers – the Dominican Family Website. The Dominican Order of the Roman Catholic Church. http://www.op.org/steinkerchner/travels/strasbourg/eu.htm, (6/2/04).

[22] Christopher Booker and Richard North. The Great Deception – the Secret History of the European Union.(London: Continuum, 2003), p. 33.

[23] Booker, p. 8. also, Kenneth Frampton. Le Corbusier. (London: Thames & Hudson, 2001), p. 161.

[24] Booker, p. 453.

[25] Booker, p. 453.

[26] Alan Franklin. EU the Final World Empire – 2^nd ed. (OK: Hearthstone Publishing, 2004), p. 46.

[27] Booker, p. 14.

[28] Frederic Fransen. The Supranational Politics of Jean Monnet: Ideas and Origins of the European Community. (Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2001), p. 15.

[29] Booker, p. 15.

[30] Booker, p. 428.

[31] Adrian Hilton. The Principality and the Power of Europe – 2^nd ed.. (Rickmansworth, Eng: Dorchester House Publications, 2000), p. 33.

[32] “United in Diversity.” Europa. http://www.europa.eu.int/abc/panorama./index_en.htm. (18 Nov 2005).

[33] “Europe in the 21^st Century: the Shape of things to come.” Europa. (European Union, 2003) http://europa.eu.int. 20 Jul 2003.

[34] “The EU’s Relations with Mercosur – Overview.” Europa (European Union, 2005). http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/mercosur/into/ . (13 Nov 2005).

[35] Mark Leonard. Why Europe Will Run the 21^st Century. (London: Fourth Estate – a division of Harper Collins Publishers, 2005), p. 135.

[36] “Diverse.” WordNet Dictionary, (Princeton University - Hyperdictionary.com, 2000-2005), http:hyperdictinary.com/dictionary/supranational (21 Sep 2004).

[37] BDB, p. 1116. TWOT 2419, p. 941, vol. II.

[38] “Supranational” WordNet Dictionary, (Princeton University - Hyperdictionary.com, 2000-2005), http:hyperdictinary.com/dictionary/supranational (21 Sep 2004).

[39] Booker, p. 12.

[40] Booker, 103.

[41] Jens-Peter Bonde. “Why Shouldn’t Spain Re-run its Referendum?” EU Observer. http://euobserver.com/?aid=19174&sid=7. (26 May 2005).

[42] Slater, Arthur, The United States of Europe (London, Allen & Unwin), p. 92 quoted by Booker, p. 17.

[43] Cini, p. 1.

[44] Cini, p. 3.

[45] Booker, 374.

[46] “Yes to Reference to Christianity, Berlusconi Said.” Italy On Line – Agenzia Giornalistica Italia – News in English. 25 Aug 2003. http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200308252011-0146-RT1-POL-0-NF82&page=0. (26 Aug 2003).

[47] Jean Monnet and Arthur Salter are the true founding fathers of the EU, but much of their work was “behind the scenes,” hence they are not the recognized founders.

[48] Adrian Hilton, p. 39, quoting Church of England Newspaper, 10 December 1999 and The Tablet, 30 October 1999 issue.

[49] Jacques Paragan quoted by Luke Coppen, Catholic Herald Newspaper 23 May 2003 and reported by Ian Paisely “Architect of European Union Advancing to RC Sainthood.” European Institute of Protestant Studies 23 Jun 2003 http://www.ianpaisley.org. (13 Nov 2005).

[50] Ian Paisley.

[51] “Council of Europe’s Emblems” The Council of Europe. http://www.coe.int/T/e/Com/About_coe/flag.asp. (25 Sep 2004).

[52] “Council of Europe’s Emblems”.

[53] “Coincidences” of European Flag”Zenit News Agency 7 Dec 1999, ZE00120707. http://www.zenit.org/english/archive/9912/ZE991207.html , (14 Nov 2005).

[54] “The EU at a glance – The symbols of the European Union” Europa., http://europa.eu.int/abc/symbols/emblem/index_en.htm, (26 May 2004).

[55] Ibid.

[56] Ibid.

[57] Booker, p. 218 fn., also, Europa Website.

[58] Booker, p. 218 fn., also Hermann Schafer: Sterne und Staaten, in : Koch, Thilo (Ed.), Euopre und ich. Personliche Eindrucke und Eriebnisse, Boon, 1993. Quoted in HDG.

[59] Booker, p. 218 fn.

[60] Dr. David R Reagan, “Europe in Bible Prophecy”, Lamb and Lion Ministries, http://www.lamblion.com/New10.php. His footnote: Remarks of Leon Marchal were reported by Dr. William Crampton, executive director of The Flag Institute in York, England. The remarks were made in 1973.

[61] Zenit.

[62] “Unity of Hearts” Daily Catholic October 2001. http://www.dailycathoic.org/issue/2001Oct/redebac.htm (14 Nov 2005).

[63] Joseph Phelan. “The Immaculate Conception” ArtCyclopedia. http://www.artcyclopedia.com/advent/feature-2002-12-day9.html. (14 Nov 2005).

[64] Booker, Regan, and Zenit.

[65] “The European Emblem,” http://europa.eu.int/abc/symbols/index_en.htm (20 July 2003).

[66] John Paul II, Evangelium vitae, 3/25/1995. The Vatican See. http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0141/_P13.htm . (13 Nov 2005).

[67] Strong’s # 3173 and 4592.

[68] “Symbol.” Webster’s.

[69] Dave Hunt. A Woman Rides the Beast. (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1994), p. 459.

[70] “The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe.” 4 Aug 2003. www.gibraltar.gov.gi/tourism/lady_of_Europe.htm, (24 Jun 2004).

[71] Ibid.

[72] “The European Emblem”.

[73] On May 9, 1950, Robert Schuman presented his proposal calling for the European Union. In 1985, the EU adopted the 9 May as Europe Day to honor Schuman. However, many still observe the earlier designated Europe Day of 5 May. “European Symbols” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe_Day. (14 Nov 2005).

[74] “The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe.”

[75] John Paul II. “Address to Hon. Mr. Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission.” 28 Oct 2004. The Vatican See. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/joh_paul_ii/speeches/2004/October/documents. (13 Nov 2005).

[76] Hilton, p. 34.

[77] Hilton, pp. 35-36.

[78] Ian Fisher. “Pope Explains Christian Roots in Choice of Name” International Herald Tribune, 29 Apr 2005. http://www.iht.com/aritcles/2005/04/28/news/vatican.php, (14 Nov 2005).

[79] Ian Paisley. “Rome’s Secret Weapon for Recatholicising the EU” The European Institute for Protestant Studies. 2005. http://www.ianpaisley.org. (14 Nov 2005).

[80] Hunt, p. 469

[81] John Paul II. “Act of Entrustment to Mary, Jubilee of Bishops, 8 October 2000” The Vatican See. 2000. http://www.vaticanva. (14 Nov 2005).

[82] “Paragraph 2. ‘Conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary’” the Vatican See. http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P1K.HTM. (15 Nov 2005).

[83] “The Message and Meaning of Rue de Bac.” Daily Catholic October. 2001. http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/2001/Oct/ruedebac.htm. (14 Nov 2005).

[84] “The Miraculous Medal and Its Meaning.” The Association of the Miraculous Medal. http://www.amm.org/medal.htm. (14 Nov 2005).

[85] This paper is an excerpt from a manuscript presenting an in-depth study of the alliance and how it became the European Union of today.

[86] Militant amillennialism in the UK plays down the significance of eschatology by calling it a minor area of doctrine.

[87] Note the use of “bringing in the kingdom” reflects the doctrinal position of both post-millennialists and militant amillennialists (Replacement Theology groups in the United Kingdom). Thus, the “minor” doctrine concerning the Millennium is used as a basis for ecumenicalism.

[88] “Why Unity Matters.” Churches Together Association. http://www.churches-together.org.uk/whoweare_why_unity_matters.htm. (12 Nov. 2005).

[89] Oliver Poole. “Churches Agree Pope Has Overall Authority.” Electronic Telegraph Issue 1448. 13 May 1999. http://www.telegraph.co.uk. (14 Nov. 2005).

[90] “Churches Close Rift.” Sky News. (May 19, 2005). http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1182464,00.html. (14 Nov. 2005).

[91] Hunt, p. 467.

[92] “The Portugal News reports the facts on Fatima Congress.” The Portugal National Weekend Newspaper in English. 15 Nov 2003. http://the-news.net.

[93] Hannah Salter. “Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ode to Joy.” Ludwig van Beethoven – Dominique Prevot. http//www.lvbeethoven.com/Oeuvres/Music_Odetojoy.html. (4 Dec. 2003).

[94] Elysium – “plain of the departed, dwelling place of virtuous people after death.” Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English – 3^rd College Ed. (New York: Prentice Hall, 1994).

[95] Beatrice Bruteau, “The Unknown Goddess,” The Goddess Re-Awakening, compiled by Shirley Nicholson, (Wheaton, IL: the Theosophical Publishing House, 1992), p. 68.

[96] Humanist Manifest II, American Humanist Association, www.humanist.net/documents/manifesto2.html. (15 Nov 2005).

[97] Renald Showers, What on Earth is God Doing? (Bellmawr, NJ: The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc., 2003), p. 100, quoting John Charles Cooper, The Roots of Radical Theology, pp. 118, 121.

[98] Peter R. Scott. “Fatima Inter-Religious Congress” Holy Cross Seminary Newsletter. December 1, 2002 (Bathurst, N.S.W.Australia: Holy Cross Seminary), http://www.holycrossseminary.com/2003_December.htm. (3 Mar 2005).

[99] Ibid.

[100] Note the term Roman Virgin Mary, Virgin Mary, Roman Mary, Mary refers to the Mary of the Roman Catholic doctrinal view. The term, Biblical Mary, refers to the Mary of the Scriptures.

[101] “The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe.” Gibraltar Government Tourism. 22 Apr 2003. http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/tourism/lady_of_europe.htm. (4 Aug 2003).

[102] Global Mary will be the term to indicate the supra-religion’s unifying factor or controlling entity.

[103] Pope John Paul II, Vittorio Messori, editor, Crossing the Threshold of Hope. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Borzoi Book, 1994), p. 215.

[104] John Paul II, “Act of Entrustment to Mary – Jubilee of Bishops”.

[105] Ibid.

[106] “Vatican Dossier – John Paul II Entrust Third Millennium To Mary,“ Zenit Online. 6 June 2001. http://www.Zenit.org. Also see John Paul II. “Act of Entrustment to Mary – Jubilee of Bishops.”

[107] Thomas W. Petrisko. The Last Crusade (McKees Rock, PA: St. Andrews Productions, 1996), p. 70.

[108] Jim Tetlow. “Will Mary Unite All Religions?” Endtime Issues Newsletter No. 116 p. 19. http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/endtimeissues/et_116.htm. (17 Nov 2005).

[109] Jim Tetlow, p. 20 quoting Fr. Don Stefano Gobbi, To the Priest, Our Lady’s Beloved Sons (St. Francis, ME: The National Headquarters of the Marian Movement of Priests in the United States of America, 1998), pp 923, 924. Message given to Father Gobbi, Oct 13, 1996, Tokyo Japan.

[110] Jim Tetlow, p. 21. Gobbi, p. 419. Message given in Como, Italy, Dec. 31, 1984.

[111] Wayne Weible. Medjugorje the Message. (Brewster, MA: Paraclette Press, 1989), p. 344.

[112] Believed by many Marian theologians.

[113] Jim Tetlow, p. 26 quoting Kunzli, editor, The Messages of the Lord of All Nations, p. 85.

[114] Jim Tetlow, p. 27, quoting Petrisko, Call of the Ages, p. 449.

[115] Jim Tetlow, p. 11.

[116] “5 Million Pilgrims Visit Virgin’s Shrine,” Orange County Register, Dec. 13, 1999, p. 20.

[117] Hunt, p. 453.

[118] Josef Kunzli, editor, The Messages of the Lady of All Nations, (Santa Barbara, CA, Queenship Publishing, 1996), p. 85.

[119] Kenneth L. Woodward, “Hail Mary,” Newsweek, August 25, 1997, p. 50.

[120] “Our Lady of Medjugorje - Message given July 25, 1990.” http://www.medjugorje.org/msg90.htm. (3 Mar 2005).

[121] “Our Lady of Medjugorje - Message given December 25, 1990,” http://www.medjugojie.org/msg90.htm. (3 Mar 2005).

[122] Richard J. Beyer, “April 6, 1993 Meditation” Medjugorje Day By Day, (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 1993).

[123] Elaine Gale, “Mary’s Rising Popularity Goes Beyond Faith,” Los Angeles Times, Dec. 25, 1998, p. A41.

[124] Hunt, p. 453.

[125] “Answers to Recent Questions” University of Dayton (Ohio). http://www.udayton.edu . (15 Nov. 2005).

[126] Ibid.

[127] “Christianity’s Jewish Roots” The Economist. Dec 20, 2003-Jan 2,2004. p.25.

[128] Surah 3:40-3:46.

[129] “Hindus Worship at Fatima Altar” Portugal’s National Weekend Newspaper in English. 22 May 2004. http://the-news.net/cgi-local/story.pl?title=Hindus worship at Fatima altar&edition=all. 3 Jan 2005.

[130] Ibid.

[131] “Bishop – Fatima open to all” Portugal’s National Weekend Newspaper in English. 16 Oct 2004. http://the-news/cgi-local/story.pl?title=Bishop-Fatima open to all&edition=all. (3 Jan 2005).

[132] “Fatima to Become Interfaith Shrine” Portugal’s National Weekend Newspaper in English. 1 Nov 2003. http://the-news.net/cgi-local/sotry.pl?title=Fatima to become interfaith shrine&edition=all. (3 Jan 2005).

[133] John Vennari. “Fatima to Become Interfaith Shrine? An Account From One Who Was There.” http://www.fatima.org/news/newsview/sprep111303 (3 Jan 2005).

[134] “Fatima Inter-Religious Congress” Holy Cross Seminary Newsletter.

[135] “Fatima to Become Interfaith Shrine” Portugal’s National Weekend