Pope Worried - Losing Millions of Members

Catholic leaders in Latin America and Africa are becoming increasingly concerned with the loss of their members to the exploding evangelical churches.  For example, in Brazil in 1960, the pope could count on about 90 percent of the population being Roman Catholic.  Today, it is less than 67 percent.  Pope Benedict XVI made a special trip there in May of last year where he decried the "sects" who were using "aggressive" tactics to win souls.

Several hundred years ago, Europe was mainly under the heel of the Vatican.  The common people were mostly illiterate allowing Rome to keep them in ignorance and superstition. Bibles had to be hand copied and were very expensive.  Besides, owning a Bible was outright prohibited in some places.

Then, along came a man named Gutenburg with a high tech machine that threatened the pope`s grip on the general populace.  It was called the "printing press."  Bibles could now be reproduced cheaply and more people learned to read. They soon learned that the pope was running a big con game that had nothing to do with obeying the Bible.

The resulting "Reformation" changed the western world. Instead of blind subservience to superstitions and ritual, the common man could now educate himself and build a world with freedom to serve God according to the Bible. The pope fought back with widespread slaughter of the Bible believers.  But the word was out: you could get to heaven without the pope`s help.

Today, that same paper and ink technology plus radio, TV and the internet is bringing biblical Truth to the rest of the world where Roman Catholic superstition and ritual once ruled. Fortunately, with today`s world-wide information technology, the pope can no longer order an inquisition and burn the Bible believers at the stake.  That would be bad publicity.  So what is their weapon of choice?

Cardinal Walter Kasper, head of the Vatican office of relations with other Christians, recommended a redoubling of their present strategy: "...ecumenism is not an option but an obligation." This "ecumenism" is now the pope`s effort to draw all religions, including protestants, under his control.

Chick Publications has published several books and comics warning of the dangers of accepting Roman Catholicism as just another denomination.  In Smokescreens, Jack Chick shows how even today`s "protestant" leaders have been duped with this lie. The Alberto Crusaders Comics series provides much historical detail of Rome`s war against the saints. There, ex-Jesuit Alberto Rivera also explains Rome`s shift from persecution to seduction. David W. Daniels traces Rome`s history of perverting of scripture in Did the Catholic Church Give Us The Bible?

Today in the US, Rome has been hugely successful in convincing evangelicals that she is truly Christian —with just a "different worship tradition." But in Latin America and parts of Africa, millions are leaving Catholicism`s dead ritual for the life-changing gift of eternal life through trusting Christ alone (no Virgin Mary goddess needed) for salvation. 

Tract passers tell us that Spanish-speaking people are among the most receptive they have found to a gospel tract. They usually accept them with a smile and gratitude. Let`s love them enough to give them a chance to escape from the pope`s domination. Give them a tract!


Products of Interest: