666, Rome and the 'mark of the beast . . .'

In Protestant polemics (historic), often the Church at Rome (i.e. Catholicism . . .) was called 'the anti-christ.' Although irenic to the Catholic Christian Faith, Protestant Reformer (Anglican Priest) John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, did term the Church at Rome 'the anti-christ.'

But what is the anti-christ?

Well, anti-christ means anything opposed to Jesus Christ and historically (Book of Revelation . . .) referred likely to Emperor Nero, brutal persecutor of Christians. In fact, Biblical scholars such as Bruce Metzger (who edited the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible), point out how '666' equals the numerical values of the letters that correspond to the Emperor Nero.

Scripture, however, also speaks of the 'spirit of the anti-christ.'

This 'spirit' is the unique, diabolical spiritual force that oppresses and criticizes Christians as Christians.

No, it is not the Democrats. No, it is not Catholicism, properly understood!

But, YES, the 'anti-christ' spirit is that spiritual force in the world that directly targets we Christians. Whether it is computer technology, cell-phones, or sheer 'dollar bills' (or European 'euros'), whenever Christians are oppressed, it is the 'mark of the beast.'

Sadly, however, this '666' is alive and well in much of world financial arrangement. Whether it is communist China attacking Christians just for being Christian, or (get this!) even a Catholic University (for example St. Leo University, just north of Tampa Bay, Florida) that actually had the nerve to include 'consumer credit history' as part of its criminal background check!

There you have it, if your poor wife gets sick and goes into the hospital destroying you financially, then good ole St. Leo will become your persecutor equating your debt with criminal behavior!

OR if you have had marital problems, divorce, or a spouse steal money (children, etc.) and you are forced under financially, then again, St. Leo University is there to make sure that you STAY UNDER . . .

666 = St. Leo University

Sorry, friends inside of 'organizational Catholicism,' it is HIGH-TIME that you each personally accept Jesus Christ as your personal LORD and SAVIOR, begin sharing the wealth, and begin caring for (rather than 'excluding' . . .) your brother and sister in need . . . (I just gave a $1 to a young fellow Catholic man needing 'bus-fare' because he was wearing a rosary blessed by his grandma or abuela . . . I ALSO told him that Cracker Barrel was hiring 200 wait-staff, bus-boys, et al because he needed a job to pursue his interest of getting a degree in computers . . .).

But, unlike Opus Dei, the Knights of Columbus, St. Augustine, St. Francis or the University of Notre Dame (under new Leadership in its Theology Department, in the person of Dr. John Cavadini . . .), St. Leo is more interested in your 'credit score . . .'

Jesus Christ, the GOD-MAN and UNIVERSAL KING of kings and LORD of lords said 'blessed are the poor . . .' St. Leo University (Pasco County, Florida . . .) says, "let me check your credit score . . ."

FOR JESUS CHRIST, FOR TRUTH, 'BOUNTY-HUNTER against ALL that is EVIL . . .'

Love in Christ Jesus, Rob

Creativity, the Arts, and the Kingdom

The recent movie The Kingdom paints a fairly bleak picture for future Arab-Western relations. In the fictitious movie, several F.B.I. agents are sent to Saudi Arabia in order to investigate a mythical bombing of American oil workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Both sides do not trust each other and a "clash of cultures" is well documented (everything from profanity and scantily clad Western women versus an austere moral code by Islam to out and out war . . .).

But, in Jesus Christ's Kingdom (whether it is the ultra-orthodox group in the Catholic Church called Opus Dei or Franciscan monks and sisters or Pentecostal televangelists) there is a role for something that actually celebrates the human body! No, this does not mean the MTV style decadence, but instead in the tradition of the best of Catholic and Orthodox (and Protestant) artwork, a view that human physicality, when rightly ordered, is GOOD!

In fact, as the depiction of the Pieta shows, Christ's body (as held in his mother's hands following the crucifixion . . .) is shown in full anatomical splendor! To not be "physical" in the Christian understanding of salvation is to be heretical even! Christ died a real death and rose a real new life through a physical resurrection! Yes, this is a mystery of the faith, but a mystery clothed in the human physique itself!

So, when the naysayers are wanting all human expressions of the body to be drowned out, remember that Christ Jesus died for all of us and died for our bodies! Not only are our "minds" saved (or our hearts!), but yes, even our legs, upper torsoes, and chins, ears, noses, etc.

So, painters and sculptors of the world, be inspired!

The LORD is honored by work that is GOOD!

Love in Jesus Christ, Rob

Davidson College vs. GOLIATH!

"O Hail oh Davidson, our dear old Alma Mater . . . Our Fathers loved thee, gave their best to thee . . . and still today, their loyal sons and daughters follow them on, and pledge their loyalty . . ."

The Davidson Wildcats, formerly great in the 1960's under former head coach Lefty Dreisel, are now "at it again."

That small (tiny!) liberal arts college founded by Presbyterians (PCUSA) just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina is now in the "Sweet 16" of NCAA men's college basketball super-stardom!

As a former All-Academic Offensive Guard in Football (turned Offensive Center) at Davidson College, and as someone who actually daily played pick-up hoops with the then N.I.T. tournament 'Cats, I am utterly in shock!

Yes, Dell Curry's son plays for us now, but the sweet 16!!!

Rhode's scholars at Davidson . . . YES!

Senator's sons and daughters, well, perhaps (if their S.A.T. scores are high enough! ;-)

But the 'elite' 16 of men's basketball???

GOD MUST be a Presbyterian!!! (and yes, if the Providence of GOD has issued a direct order that the Davidson 'Cats are to be in the 'sweet 16' then so be it!!!).

So, there you have it. The Davidson Wildcats are 'back in action . . .' It took over three decades, but here we go!

Love in Jesus Christ, Rob J. King (Roman Catholic Davidsonian)

Military, MIGHT, Just-War . . .

The need for external safeguards in shepherding the current 'lame-duck' Administration of Bush-Cheney is of the utmost importance . . .

In the thought of St. Augustine (300's - 400's A.D.) and in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas (1200's A.D.), the classic understandings of "Just War" have been formulated, principles which are through 2008 even, still maintaining the "ethics" of the U.S. Military!

Jus Ad Bellum refers to the moral principles which guide the decision to even "go to war" in the first place. Should a nation simply attack a potential threat? Well, in spite of Bush's historic blunder in making "preemptive strikes" the new American Foreign Policy (regime change), such preemptive use of the military in order to impose order on unstable regions of the world is simply immoral according to current and 1,600 years of Just-War Thought . . .

Similarly, in the actual fighting of a war (Jus In Bello) we have historic Western European and North American safeguards against torture. No, "water-boarding" by the C.I.A. does not constitute a "just" waging of war!

This is torture, and signals a slide towards dictatorship that the "Bush-Cheney" era has unleashed on our collective American psyche.

Things have become so bad in the G.O.P. (Bush and Cheney are supposed "moderates" remember!!!), that in spite of being firmly Pro-Life (I am Catholic . . .), I could no longer in good conscience support a political party that was only unified by greed.

Why did we attack Iraq? Well, we needed their oil!

We did not "attack" other nations.

But, we went where the oil was . . .

Hmmm . . .

Blessings in Christ Jesus,
Professor Rob J. King, M.Div., Th.M., Ph.D. (ABD*)

The Pope, The "New West" and Why the Future of America is CATHOLIC . . .

Pope Benedict XVI is coming to America! Yes, yes, just like Eddie Murphy in that old 1980's movie Coming to America, the Pope will make a historic Apostolic visit to we who live in the U.S.

No, the Pope will not be playing a fictitious African prince ("Prince Akeem of Zamunda" . . . :-), nor will the Pope likely be cracking many jokes!

Pope Benedict XVI, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger will likely speak about issues of Justice, issues of 'community,' both secular and Christian, and issues of War, Peace and of course, the Propagation of the Christian Faith!

On the "other side" will be . . . ?

You see, politically, Pope Benedict XVI is an arbiter of TRUTH! He is BOTH 'liberal' denouncing the widening gap between rich and poor, while also being 'conservative' denouncing abuses to the human person through medical malpractices known as abortion and physician-assisted suicide (i.e. Dr. Jack Kevorkian, recently released from prison).

No one can side 'fully with the Pope,' but from ultra-left Democrats to far-right Republicans, ALL respect the Pope's moral authority.

(Unless, of course, you come from Communist China, imperialist Russia, or other non-western, non-African nations!)

No, just as Phil Jenkins, history and religion professor at Penn State points out in his book The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, Africa, Latin America and the good 'ole U.S.A. are pretty much UNIFIED!

Yes, we still must overturn Roe v. Wade, but with a 5 - 4 Pro-Life majority that outlawed at least some of the baby killing (i.e. ban on partial-birth abortions . . .), the VICTORY over infanticide should happen soon . . .

Yes, we must also always keep an eye on Oregon, that state in our union that likes to slide a needle into the veins of the dying elderly, but fortunately, even liberal Democrat Senate Judiciary Chair, Patrick Leahy is opposed to this practice of physician-assisted suicide (. . . inside tip).

Yes, we must also fight for religious freedom in the face of psychiatric abusers, in the face of political compromise (against Mormons, scientologists, you name the religious group facing persecution).

But in spite of 'cleaning up America,' the Pope pretty much epitomizes what most Americans believe anyway. A recent poll actually showed how a full 2/3 of American citizens are practicing Christians, and so, although pluralistic religiously (Buddhists, Muslims, et al), we are still, nonetheless a Christian majority nation and that should not end anytime soon!

After all, "In God we trust . . ." is still printed on our currency, and from the New England Puritan settlers to Catholic immigrants in Florida, the desert Southwest, and you name it, we are increasingly Christian as a people. Rosaries dawn the trucks, sub-compacts, and even the doorways of America!

Even former Protestants are converting to Catholicism!

So, this April, when Pope Benedict XVI boldly addresses the United Nations in New York or addresses we U.S. citizens in Washington, D.C., we can stand united.

Viva el Papa . . .

Blessings in Jesus Christ, Rob J. King (friend of Vatican-supporting Catholics and colleague of all who seek political, social, economic and human rights TRUTH!)

Art, the 'doorway' to the soul . . .

In St. Augustine's Confessions (the first example of what we moderns would term an "autobiography" . . .), there is a section in which the Doctor of the Church warns the would-be Christian disciple to 'guard one's senses.'

Sure, according to modern categories, things like 'blood and gore' seem to be part and parcel of any nice night at the local cinema, but for Augustine and Christian saints and mystics following him, to imbibe blood and gore, violence, etc. (e.g. the gladiator contests OR our own modern media fascination with death, decay, etc.) is to put our very soul in mortal danger (psuche in Greek, from which we get the word "psychology" . . .).

But, in refusing to take in 'blood & gore,' the senses should not be deprived altogether!

Here I am Catholic through and through!

Icons adorn my home (granted from Russia). Catholic art is a fascination for me, even including a poster of the famed Pieta (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieta) in which the Virgin Mary is holding the dead body of Jesus Christ.

In looking to Christian Art, my soul is elevated!

That is why it is such an honor for me to attend (tonight!) a viewing of "Splendors of the Vatican," a collection of Roman Catholic art on display here at my local, hometown arts district (The Florida International Museum . . .). I do not know what my 'eyes' will take in (and yes, as my Puerto Rican Catholic mom would say, "the eyes are the gateway to the soul . . ."), but I do know that my soul will be marked forever!

So, tonight and through this Season of Lent, let us turn off the blood and gore (TV or movies . . .) and take in something healthy! Watch the History Channel or EWTN Catholic television if you like watching television. Be proactive and maybe even visit your local art gallery.

Like St. Augustine warned us against the 'blood & gore' of Imperial Roman persecution (i.e. it was CHRISTIANS who were sacrificed to the 'gladiator games'), so also must we not imbibe of such grotesque sites.

Blessings in Christ Jesus,
PAX CHRISTIANA ROB J. KING

RELIGION vs. the 'so-called secular' Western Colonialists . . .

The "War of the Worlds" is a much discussed topic among sociologists, historians, and other analysts of the new millenium.

"East vs. West" "Christian 'Imperialism' versus Islam . . ."

But are these the correct categories?

In Penn State history professor, Phil Jenkins' much acclaimed book, The Next Christendom, the author argues that whereas the prior categories of "Western Europe" and the Middle East, etc. seemed to do justice to concrete sociological data, the new era of world religious classification points to a Christian identity that is increasingly GLOBAL.

Africa, Asia and Latin America (NOT the United States, Canada and Western Europe . . .) are the new 'center of Christian demographic power.'

A 'standard Anglican' no longer lives in Devonshire nor frequents London's Heathrow Airport. No, as Jenkins correctly points out, the average Anglican is now an African woman in her twenties!

In many ways, this new re-alignment has produced some startling shifts.

Sigmund Freud (similar to Karl Marx, the grandfather of Soviet, Chinese, Cuban and North Korean Marxism) once stated that all religion is 'delusional,' that is a 'fantasy' not connected to so-called 'empirical reality,' and thus a form of 'mental illness.'

After Sigmund Freud, the "War against Religion" continued unabated in the 20th century. In state-supported atheist countries such as the Soviet Union, China, etc., religious persecution (especially of Christians, but also of Buddhists, Taoists, etc.) was flourishing! And in the West (as documented in the late medieval era by philosopher Michel Foucault . . .), the designation of 'mental illness' was used to persecute, imprison and even torture aspiring artists, religious dissenters, and even politicians. Perhaps most noteworthy given the prominence of his writing, author Paulo Coelho, whose novel The Alchemist sold 65 million copies in more than 150 countries, was at one point in his life involuntarily committed by his father and subjected to the cruelty of electro-shock "therapy" by the almost nazi-like psychiatric guild (also supported, I am sure, by the Jesuits, the modern liberal heretical sect of Catholic priests for whom comfortable association with modernity has drawn the ire and even occasional censure by the Vatican!).

Paulo Coelho, a modern day Shakespeare, imprisoned by his own father. Why? Because he dared to believe that he could begin a career in writing . . . (the novel by the way is RICH in both Judaic and Christian symbology . . .).

So, there we have it!

'Modernity' or at least the modern era as interpreted by Freud, Marx, et al VERSUS the artists of the world, the religious adherents of the world. Is it no wonder that 'artists' such as BONO of the rock group U2 (who are also believing Christians . . .) are on the front-lines in calling for sanctions against evil, dictatorial governments (through groups such as Amnesty International)?

Modernity, however, at its best, does produce scientific progress, but note that this is SCIENTIFIC progress! Research on genetic causes of diseases. Research in how to best allocate scarce resources. THIS is SCIENCE! Taking a young man who wishes to be a writer and then 'teaming up on him' with his father, corrupt political leaders, etc. in order to administer electro-shock 'therapy' is, well, a violation of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights!

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact:

Professor Rob J. King
kuriosiesuschristos@abidinglifephoenix.com

FOR TRUTH, FOR JUSTICE, FOR JESUS CHRIST,
Rob J. King

The Battle for Human Rights

Friends,

The battle for human rights is part and parcel of the "War on Terror." I know a scholar (St. Thomas Aquinas expert) who once said that "when we engage someone in battle we take on their characteristics . . . so, in other words, 'be CAREFUL who you pick as an enemy!").

This Thomas Aquinas scholar was obviously speaking about the genteel battles of academia, far removed from the 'real world' of sweat & blood places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

BUT (and an important but!), what my friend and colleague said is TRUE!

If we 'play dirty' (whether it is basketball, football, or yes, even the War on Terror . . .) then we are literally 'sinking to the level' of our enemies.

Maybe this is why Jesus Christ said to PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMIES. Do GOOD to those who abuse you . . .

This is a GOOD tactic and something that should be highlighted in the new 2008 and beyond WORLD geo-political system!

Politically, what would it look like if the Religious Right PRAYED for (and with!) the secular left???

OR, what would it look like if the largely Christian African American part of the Democratic Party PRAYED FOR and WITH those members of the political right who are RACIST, xenophobic, etc.

In South Africa, men like Bishop Desmond Tutu (himself, African) PRAYED for RECONCILIATION and the end result is that South Africa peacefully overthrew the evil shackles of apartheid!

In the United States, men like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. PEACEFULLY brought to light the segregationist racist paranoia of the South!

Maybe, as we fight our "War on Terror," and although POLICE ACTION is ALWAYS necessary, maybe we should PRAY for those terror groups who are trying to kill we Americans, the Israelis, etc. PRAY for OUR NATIONAL ENEMIES!!! Jesus Christ, God Incarnate said this, and so let it be done!

ONLY through such Christ-centered praying for our enemies can the battle for human rights produce LASTING FRUIT!

Let's give it a try! It worked for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It worked for Desmond Tutu.

Love in Christ Jesus our LORD and Savior,
Rob