Ted Kennedy's Letter to the Pope

"I know that I have been an imperfect human being, but with the help of my faith, I have tried to right my path ... I have done my best." - Edward M. Kennedy

"If I ought, I can." - Pelagius, the 4th century heretic

"Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ..." - The Apostle Paul, Romans 3:20-24

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - The Apostle Paul, Ephesians 2:8-10

See Kennedy's full letter below and read Jill Stanek's comments on Kennedy's misrepresentation of free will vs. grace. It is tragic if this was his misunderstanding until the end. But it is even more tragic, if his representation of grace influences others to think, "If I ought, I can" with the "help of faith, try to right my path." It is tragic if we think that our justification before God lies with whether "I have done my best."

Scripture is clear that there is none righteous, none who is able even with the help of faith to right their own path. This justification comes as a free gift of grace and it is this grace that transforms us into keepers of the law. The inability to keep the law on such a fundamental issue as protecting innocent human life is due only to the lack of grace. It's a good lesson on why politicians who are professing Christians can't keep God's law on this one vital point.

Most Holy Father, I asked President Obama to personally hand-deliver this letter to you. As a man of deep faith himself, he understands how important my Roman Catholic faith is to me, and I am so deeply grateful to him.

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I pray that you have all of God's blessings as you lead our church and inspire our world during these challenging times. I am writing with deep humility to ask that you pray for me as my own health declines. I was diagnosed with brain cancer more than a year ago, and although I continue treatment, the disease is taking its toll on me. I am 77 years old and preparing for the next passage of life.

I have been blessed to be part of a wonderful family. And both of my parents, particularly my mother, kept our Catholic faith at the center of our lives. That gift of faith has sustained and nurtured and provided solace to me in the darkest hours. I know that I have been an imperfect human being, but with the help of my faith, I have tried to right my path.

I want you to know, Your Holiness, that in my nearly 50 years of elective office, I have done my best to champion the rights of the poor and open doors of economic opportunity. I have worked to welcome the immigrant, to fight discrimination and expand access to health care and education. I have opposed the death penalty and fought to end war. Those are the issues that have motivated me and have been the focus of my work as a United States senator.

I also want you to know that even though I am ill, I'm committed to doing everything I can to achieve access to health care for everyone in my country. This has been the political cause of my life. I believe in a conscience protection for Catholics in the health field and I'll continue to advocate for it as my colleagues in the Senate and I work to develop an overall national health policy that guarantees health care for everyone.

I have always tried to be a faithful Catholic, Your Holiness, and though I have fallen short through human failings, I have never failed to believe and respect the fundamental teachings of my faith. I continue to pray for God's blessings on you and on our church and would be most thankful for your prayers for me.

Eastern European Nationalism

I posted some videos of my trips to several cities in Ukraine in the summer of 2007. These are on a travel log at YouTube, which you can watch below. When I first posted these, I did it for my own reference and enrichment, since I thought virtually no one would watch them. Now though, I've had thousands of viewers and many of the comments are arguments from Ukrainian and Polish nationalists over the correct spelling and pronunciation of the cities; which church has the religious monopoly in the region; and which country had its land stolen first.

You can scroll through all 23 videos here:



Just two examples of the responses I have been getting:

I would like to bring your attention the name Kyiv should be used instead of Russified Kiev.

Whenever you arrive to Kyiv Boryspil International, you will never miss four big shining letters KYIV on the top of the airport building. When you drive further towards the city, you will be greeted by the board Kyiv welcomes you on the side of the speedway. You may think these changes occurred after the Orange Revolution. Let me reassure you that this was already the case in earlier nineties and long time before it.

"KYIV" spelling is the only official Ukrainian spelling, used by the Ukrainian government, So that makes it OFFICIAL and correct. The fact is that the majority of foreign governments, embassies, and numerous academic and business organizations use "KYIV" not "KIEV." The US Embassy uses "KYIV."

The fact the Ukrainian Parliament, Verkhovna Rada, through many of its Commissions allows only one spelling, Kyiv. Probably, the most important argument is the Constitution of Ukraine, which clearly states that The capital of Ukraine is the City of Kyiv. In fact, it can be argued that those who persistently use Kiev instead of Kyiv could be accused of Russian Nationalism and clinging to Russian communism.

There is also the debate over whether it is Lvov, Lviv or Lwów:

I hope that one day someone will be decide about American and British territories. Maybe you should describe what means expulsion from own home/house and what means suffer in Russian Siberian gulags and in German Auschwitz camp like it was in my family.

Americans should leave own cities and give them to Eskimos and Indians. In New York should live only the Dutch because they established Manhattan. Berlin should be Polish; Paris and London Italian because were established by Romans; Russian Nowgorod by Swedes.

Polish and Hungarian roots go deeper in one region of Ukraine than Ukrainian roots. Kievan Rus conquered these region which belonged to us (Poles and Hungarian) from beginning. Before Christianization of Poland it was Polish tribes lands -- western Slavic, not eastern -- so not Ukrainian.

If you will decide about Poland again give this ugly German Wrocław/Breslau to Germany, which by the way was destroyed by Russians, and give us our Lwów. Nobody asked Americans and British for Wrocław.

Polish government never acknowledge that Lwów is not a polish city. It is the only one big Polish city which wasn't destroyed by Germans and Russians communist during WW2. The oldest monument in Lwów is from Polish times, because Ruthenian Lviv was had mainly wooden buildings.

Americans and British had no right to sold us to Russian communist after how we fought for freedom so many allied counties and nobody help to us. People in eastern Europe hate when Americans and other western countries decide about our land. Serbia likes Russians because of Kosovo independence.

My response: In English, there is no "yi" dipthong. Kyiv is the foreign transliteration of the Ukrainian spelling. However, both the Russian and Ukrainian spellings are in the Cyrillic alphabet. Kiev is the English transliteration according to common spelling rules. "Kyiv" simply has not caught on in the West. Very few people recognize it over "Kiev."

A Google search for Kyiv "yyilds" 4 million web pages, while Kiev yields 40 million.

I can't pretend to have any expertise in these conflicts that go back over many centuries. I can only give the honest point of view of the "ugly American."

The American author and satirist Mark Twain wrote: "There is not an acre of ground on the globe that is in possession of its rightful owner, or that has not been taken away from owner after owner, cycle after cycle, by force and bloodshed."

Of course, "hyi" is using hyperbole to prove a point. No nation has come into existence without displacing another nation at some point.

What I write "hyir" is also a satire. If "wyi" take your principle to the logical conclusion, then every ethnic nationality that ever conquered or colonized a "pyis" of land ought to give it up to the prior tenant. Then that nation should give up its claim to the prior one. And all the way back to Adam.

If "thyiz" nations don't exist today in pure blood we ought to honor them by changing the names of all our "cityiz."

Chicago ought to be returned to the French and be called: Chicagou. The French then ought to give it up to the Chippeway Indians as Shiggaugo. Then the Crees ought to have it and it should be revert to: Shiggaugo-ong.

And so on.

Many cities in Russia and the former USSR have been renamed to reflect their pre-Revolutionary names, St. Petersburg (Leningrad), Nizhny Novgorod (Gorky), etc. Americans don't have a problem with changing names of foreign countries as many times as they request. We think it's strange that we've been "America" for over 400 years and only added "The United States of America" in 1776. We are the "New" World, yet Europeans still can't decide what to call themselves.

Often our spelling and pronunciation of names is different from the nationalist spelling. Wien becomes Vienna; Mumbai becomes Bombay; Rocia becomes Russia; Ookraine becomes Ukraine. But we don't usually spell foreign place names contrary to our spelling rules or else we simply mispronounce them depending on their spelling.

Unless they are English or Irish -- but that's a different story.

Daniel 9:27

A reader named Steve asks a question about my interpretation of Daniel 9:27.

It appears that you take a preterist view of Daniel 9:27.

That brings me to a couple of questions that I need answered.

Question #1. If Jesus, in Matthew 24, is speaking to his disciples about "the end of the world" (verse 3), then, if the "abomination of desolation" that Jesus says Daniel the prophet spoke about is referring to an event that took place back in 70 AD. my first question is "Is Jesus speaking about an end time that is almost 2,000 years long?" The reason I'm asking is because we know that Matthew 24:30 is in the future, and therefore if Matt 24:15 took place back around 70 AD, then Jesus is speaking in direct response to the disciples' inquiries about a period from about 70 AD to His second coming. (Matthew 24:15-30).

I have an article that fully describes my view on Matthew 24 and 25.

"When will these things be?" - A brief commentary on Matthew 24, 25

The following passage in bold is an except from that article:

“The sign of His coming”

In verses 30 and 31, Jesus refers to the “sign of His coming” which I interpret as the gathering of the elect from the nations after the time of the destruction of the Temple.

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Mat. 24:30,31).

He says in vv. 29-31 that immediately after the tribulation of those days, the powers of heaven will be shaken, the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and there will be a time when the Gospel will go out to all nations (as it has been doing for 2000 years). Compare this with Matthew 28:18-20 and the other “Great Commission” passages. There is a great similarity of language.

Futurists believe that verses 30 and 31 refer specifically to the Second Coming. But what is being explained is “the sign of His coming.” Compare the language here with Acts 2:16-21. Peter says, “this is that which is spoken of by the prophet Joel.” Peter uses language very similar to Jesus in Matthew 28:29-31. The highly figurative language used here denotes Christ’s rule from heaven over the nations.

Thus the “sign of His coming” is the Church enlarged by Gentile believers and used of God to disciple the nations.

Some preterists hold that the sign of His coming is Jesus coming in judgment when the Roman armies would destroy Jerusalem in 70 AD. That is only part of what is meant here.

Dr. Kenneth Gentry has an article here:

On the "transitional verses" in Matthew 24

He explains that Christ’s attention turns from A.D. 70 to the future Second Advent in the two transition verses, Matthew 24:34-36. I was very pleased when I read this article because it matches my view of Matthew 24.

Question #2. As far as I know, neither Titus nor Nero ever set foot in the second temple. So, my question is "Who was 'standing in the temple' as the 'abomination of desolation' " that Jesus is referring to (the one spoken of by the prophet Daniel)?"

Essentially it is Titus and/or his legions. However, the Jews themselves profaned the temple by rejecting the Messiah. This was just the final consummation of what took place 40 years earlier when the unbelieving Jews sought to murder their the Lord.

I also wrote a commentary on Daniel:

"In The Days of These Kings ..." The Book of Daniel in Preterist Perspective

The following paragraph in bold is an except from the article on Daniel 9:

“The overspreading of abominations”

This refers to the “abomination of desolation” the bringing of ensigns and standards of the pagan Romans in to the Temple. Antiochus Epiphanes of the Assyrians profaned the Temple restored in the time of Ezra. Titus, Roman destructor of Herod’s Temple, profaned the Temple in AD 70. This was the direct cause of the profanation of the Temple by Jews who rejected the Messiah.

For evidence that the Roman legions entered the Temple and profaned the holy place, see the representations of the Jewish vessels as they still stand on Titus's triumphal arch at Rome.

Hopefully, you can see this in the image here:

Jesus' disciples also must have thought of the previous desecration of the Temple spoken of in Daniel 8:23-25 and Daniel 11:31:

“And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.”

According to 1 Maccabees 4:52:

“Now on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month (which is called Chislev), in the hundred and forty-eighth year they rose up betimes in the morning. And offered a sacrifice according to law upon the new altar of burnt offerings which they had made.”

Josephus writes that the Temple was desecrated for three years. He testifies that this was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel:

“Indeed it so came to pass that our nation suffered these things under Antiochus Epiphanes, according to Daniel’s vision and what he wrote years before they came to pass.”

However, Jesus uses specific language in the Mount Olivet Discourse that refers to Daniel 9, which is a subsequent profanation to the one spoken of in Daniel 8 and 11. Nevertheless, Jesus compares the two. Antiochus profaned the Temple by actually slaughtering a pig on the altar. There is no record that the Romans did this, but they did enter the Temple and carry off the furniture, candlesticks, etc., before the Temple was razed to the ground. The mere presence of the Romans within the Holy Place was an abomination.

We also can't separate this desecration from the overall context of the prophecy that is framed by Matthew 24:1,2.

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Jesus prophesied there should not be left one stone upon another. The prediction was fulfilled to the letter in the destruction of the temple by the Romans under Titus in 70 AD.

The Abortion Matrix: Abortion in Biblical Perspective

Except for an interview and a dramatic vignette still to be added, this is the final version of chapter two of The Abortion Matrix.

An investigation into the writings of Jay Rogers (a video)

http://akaariesashkuff.com/akaBlog/?p=134

Amazingly, this is an investigative video report, fairly well-done, that critiques one of my articles on Witchcraft and Abortion. In the video, the videographer claims he came to Melbourne to investigate the claims of my articles. I am fascinated by lengths to which people will go who are fascinated by me.

My offensive articles are here:

http://www.forerunner.com/champion/X0038.html

Due to a misquote in the field, the international director of the evangelical Forerunner.com was referred to as “Jay Roberts” in Scene 3 of the Beyond Logic Network’s experimental film series. The correct spelling of his name is “Jay Rogers.” We apologize for any misrepresentation or confusion this may have caused. The original summary of this episode reads as such: Following yet another lead he had picked up during his work with the preachers in Turlington Plaza, [Aries] Ashkuff investigates a so-called “witch cult” that has taken root in Palm Bay, and visits the private residence of their high priest.

BTW: I finished watching Lake of Fire and in it Pat Windle is seen standing in front of my house claiming (not naming names of course) that I got a voyeuristic sexual thrill out of watching women come to get abortions because I never had had sex myself -- (or maybe she was talking about someone else?)

Of course, that is nothing new. It was one of Pat's favorite temper tantrum talking points. But it was kind of surreal to see my house in the background and her pointing at it.

My response: These people can say whatever they want, just as long as they spell my name right!

Unending Persecution of Christians in Pakistan

The following is a report sent to us from a young woman who is doing the on-line Urdu (Pakistani) version of The Forerunner.

http://forerunner.com/urdu/urdu.html

You may also view some videos here. Although these are not in English, you can see what is going on and know exactly what to pray about.





Report by: Nosheet Gloria, Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan
Affected Areas: Korian and Gojra, District Toba Tek Singh

30 July 2009

A mob of Muslim Extremists burnt about 75 houses of the Christian People over the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran in Azafi Abadi at Chak 95-JB on Gojra-District Toba Tek Singh, later on Thursday, Christian leaders said.

It was a routine happy morning of 30th July 2009. In the wake of this economically depressed situation the peasants were heading towards their fields to seed therein with the hope of harvesting the fruit of their day to day struggle. The children went to the school to accomplish many of their forefathers’ dreams which had not yet been realized for generations, and the women were busy in their household activities, wishing to complete their household tasks before their children come back from the schools and before their men come back from the fields for their lunch. Nobody knew until then what that day was going to bring to them.

Everything seemed to be happy till the noon time, and still nobody had any idea of the great danger coming upon their heads. It was when Mukhtar Masih, Talib Masih and his son Imran Masih were allegedly reported to desecrate the papers inscribed with the Holy Quran verses at a wedding ceremony of their relatives.

An official newspaper “Dawn” said that 50 houses were damaged when the mob in a frenzy of rage held a jury where the alleged convicted of desecrating the Holy Quran Talib Masih was asked to offer apology over the incident.

Talib denied the incident and refused to apologize. Resultantly hundreds of people mobbed together and attacked the Azafi Basti.

Before the arrival of the mob, the residents had fled which gave a walkover to the mob which put on fire 75 houses. The ablaze also burnt many a cattle.

District Police Officer (DPO) Inkisar Khan fielded MPA Bilal Asghar Warraich and Maulana Noor Ahmad to calm down the mob. The DPO also suspended the Gojra Sadar station house officer at the demand of the mob.

The mob blocked the road to block the entrance of fire brigades to the village. Federal Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti and Punjab Minorities and Human Rights Minister Kamran Michael visited the locality on Friday and urged both sides to remain peaceful.

They said the Christians would be compensated for their loss. Minority MPAs Rafiq Pervaiz and Khalil Tahir Sandhu also visited the village.

DPO Inkisar Khan said a case has been registered under section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code against Mukhtar Masih, Talib Masih and Imran Masih without any arrest.

Local ulema and traders demanded the arrest of the accused and announced a complete strike on Saturday (1st of August 2009). Former MNA M Hamza condemned the violence against Christians as well as the alleged desecration act. In a press statement, he demanded a judicial probe into the incident..

Labour Party leader Tariq Mahmood, National Workers’ Party Punjab Secretary Rana Azam, Labour Qaumi Movement’s Shabbir Ahmad and Kissan Committee President Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad and other remarkable officials condemned the violence.

1st of August 2009

A mob of Muslim Extremists burnt about 100 houses of the Christian People over the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran in Gojra City-District Toba Tek Singh, later on Saturday.

When the incidence in in Azafi Abadi at Chak 95-JB was being condemned from right and left and by the officials of the government and by the TV channels, no rescue measurements were taken to avoid any other possible sad incidents. Almost everyone was talking in every corner of the region that the mob of the Muslim Extremists is very likely to attack again. The extremists were reported to have inquired from the people walking on the streets and roads if they were not Christian. They even were present in bus stops, taxi stands and other public places to take the Christian people to task. Some people were beaten just because they appeared to be Christian. In Pakistan normally black colored people are considered to be Christians. But there are some Muslim people as well who are of black skin, and they had to pay the penalty for their black color in spite of the fact that they were Muslims.

In spite of these facts no security was provided by the government, the result of which was that another sad incident was given a chance to take place. A mob of 1500 to 2000 people has been reported to have gathered for a peaceful political procession. They purposefully chose the place from where they could have accessed the Christian Locality easily.

The procession started moving dramatically, giving all indications of being attackers and incited their prey to concern about their security. It was blamed that Christians opened fire upon the mob first and the mob, in response, put the 100 houses on fire, killing 10 people including 4 women and 2 children with the fire, blaze and suffocation.

Chief Minister’s delegation consisting Dost Mohammad Khosa and Minority’s Minister Shahbaz Bhati visited the locations for sharing their concern and condolence over the great loss and promised the Christian Communities and steps will be taken to ensure that the lives and the belongings of the Christian Families shall be given all possible security. The Christian leaders and people shared their concern in their loud voices that such incidences are taking places in spite of all the vows and promises of the Government. Each new coming government does not care about things, and that the governments wait till the things are destroyed and then the officials only come for sharing their condolence.

Legal cases against the DPO (District Police Officer) and other concerned authorities have been filed who showed their all negligence which ended towards this sad incidence.

Mixed reports are coming from right and left. Some people say that it was Political Procession who got furious, while others believe that it was planned attack by the Taliban of Afghanistan.

We request you to pray for us all. We know and keep our faith in the fact that we are persecuted in His name. I believe that God is in control of everything, and He gives power to His people to fight against the Satanic powers.

I would like to request you to keep us in your daily prayers, and also please pray for the leaders of the Christian Community so that they may play their positive role to ensure the lives and belongings of the Christian People.

May God richly bless you and keep. May He smile for you and shine His face upon you. May His light keep burning in your heart!

Lord's Blessings,

Nosheet Gloria