Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Have fun with the Number of the Beast "666" (Revelation 13:18); plus Mathematics
The following is taken from http://myweb.lmu.edu/fjust/Bible/666.htm
Other Fun and Humorous 666 Sites:
- The Number of the Beast - some mathematical fun and games; compiled by Mike Keith
- Find the Antichrist(s): A Quiz - from the PBS Frontline: Apocalypse! website
- The Antichrist: Have You Seen This Man? - a long list of names of famous people thought to be the Antichrist
- Evidence that Ronald Reagan was the Beast of Revelation - proof or coincidence???
- William J. Clinton has the number of the Beast - an argument (seriously?) from the BeComing One Church (see also their "Beast Links")
- Project 666 - lots of wild, pseudo-political stuff, in English and Spanish!
[ 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + ... + 36 = 666 ] http://myweb.lmu.edu/fjust/Bible/666.htm
This page was established around 9/9/99, significantly expanded 01/01/01, revised again 02/02/02, and will self-destruct on 06/06/06 !
Mike Keith
The number 666 is cool. Made famous by the Book of Revelation (Chapter 13, verse 18, to be exact), it has also been studied extensively by mathematicians because of its many interesting properties. Here is a compendium of mathematical facts about the number 666. Most of the well-known "chestnuts" are included, but many are relatively new and have not been published elsewhere.
666 = 16 - 26 + 36.
666 = 6 + 6 + 6 + 6³ + 6³ + 6³.
The sum of the squares of the first 7 primes is 666:
666 = 2² + 3² + 5² + 7² + 11² + 13² + 17²
The sum of the first 144 (= (6+6)·(6+6)) digits of pi is 666
16661 is the first beastly palindromic prime, of the form 1[0...0]666[0...0]1. The next one after 16661 is
1000000000000066600000000000001
There are exactly two ways to insert '+' signs into the sequence 123456789 to make the sum 666, and exactly one way for the sequence 987654321:
666 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 567 + 89 = 123 + 456 + 78 + 9
666 = 9 + 87 + 6 + 543 + 21
[A lot more here...some very very cheem ones ...can't understand...for Mathematicians ...
http://users.aol.com/s6sj7gt/mike666.htm ]
Minutes of the International Symposium 'The Inquisition' (1988)
Writes a Letter for the Publication of Minutes of 1998 Congress
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 15, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II reiterated the importance of historical research so that the Church can purify her memory of the sins of her children, in particular, the Inquisition.
The Pope explained this in a letter sent to Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, former president of the Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, on the occasion of the publication of the "Minutes of the International Symposium 'The Inquisition,'" held in October 1998.
"It is appropriate that ... the Church should become more fully conscious of the sinfulness of her children, recalling all those times in history when they departed from the spirit of Christ and his Gospel," the papal letters affirms, read today by the cardinal when presenting the volume to the press in the Vatican.
"Instead of offering to the world the witness of a life inspired by the values of faith," the Pope continued, Christians on occasion "indulged in ways of thinking and acting which were truly forms of counter-witness and scandal."
John Paul II had asked the Historical-Theological Commission of the Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 to hold a congress on the Inquisition to prepare for the Day of Forgiveness of the Holy Year, on March 12, 2000. On that day, the Pontiff asked for forgiveness for the errors committed in the service of truth.
"The truth cannot impose itself except by virtue of its own truth, as it wins over the mind with both gentleness and power," the Holy Father said in his new letter, quoting from the Second Vatican Council declaration on religious freedom, "Dignitatis Humanae."
The minutes of the symposium were presented in the Vatican press office by Cardinals Etchegaray; Jean-Louis Tauran, archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church; and Georges Cottier, Papal Household theologian; as well as by historian Agostino Borromeo, an expert on the Inquisition and coordinator of the volume.
The 783-page book publishes the addresses in the languages in which they were delivered at the symposium. The congress was attended by historians "whose scientific competence is universally recognized," as the Pope had requested, without taking into consideration their religious confession.
The book is now a reference for historians, Cardinal Etchegaray said.
Borromeo explained that Pope Gregory IX (1227-1241) was the first to establish "inquisitors," "delegates of the Apostolic See with the task of combating heresy in certain areas."
In time, the papacy created a stable organization until the last tribunal of these characteristics was abolished in Spain in 1834, Borromeo added.
Cardinal Cottier explained that this historical study is useful for theologians to be able to answer questions such as "What is the meaning of the paradox: Holy Church embraces sinners to her bosom? What is the meaning of the evangelical testimony as a dimension of Christian life and of the antithetical behavior of counter-witness and scandal?"
"Obviously, a request for forgiveness can only affect real and objectively recognized events. Forgiveness is not asked for images spread by public opinion, which are part of a myth and do not correspond to reality," he said.
Cardinal Cottier said that the minutes have been published after a long delay due to a series of health problems affecting the scholars.
ZE04061509
On Publication of the Minutes of 1998 Conference
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 15, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Here is the letter John Paul II addressed to Cardinal Roger Etchegaray on the occasion of the publication of the "Minutes of the International Symposium 'The Inquisition.'"
* * *
To the Venerable Brother
Lord Cardinal Roger Etchegaray
Former President of the Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000
1. I have received with profound appreciation the volume that gathers the "Minutes" of the International Symposium on the Inquisition, organized in the Vatican from Oct. 29-31, 1998, by the Historical Theological Commission of the Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.
The symposium was in response to the desire I expressed in the apostolic letter "Tertio Millennio Adveniente": "It is appropriate that ... the Church should become more fully conscious of the sinfulness of her children, recalling all those times in history when they departed from the spirit of Christ and his Gospel and, instead of offering to the world the witness of a life inspired by the values of faith, indulged in ways of thinking and acting which were truly forms of counter-witness and scandal" (No. 33).
Before public opinion the image of the Inquisition represents in some form the symbol of this counter-witness and scandal. In what measure is this image faithful to the reality? Before asking for forgiveness it is necessary to know the facts exactly and to acknowledge the deficiencies in regard to evangelical exigencies in cases in which it is so. This is the reason why the Committee asked for the consultation of historians, whose scientific competence is universally recognized.
2. The historians' irreplaceable contribution constitutes for theologians an invitation to reflect on the conditions of life of the People of God in their historical journey.
A distinction should guide the theologians' critical reflection: the distinction between the authentic "sensus fidei" and the prevailing mentality in a determined period, which might have influenced their opinion.
One must appeal to the "sensus fidei" to find the criteria for a just judgment on the past of the life of the Church.
3. This discernment is possible precisely because with the passage of time the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, perceives with ever more profound awareness the exigencies of her conformation with the Spouse. In this way, the Second Vatican Council wished to express the "Golden Rule" that orients the defense of truth, a task that corresponds to the mission of the magisterium: "The truth cannot impose itself except by virtue of its own truth, as it wins over the mind with both gentleness and power" ("Dignitatis Humanae," 1; the statement is quoted in "Tertio Millennio Adveniente," No. 35).
The institution of the Inquisition has been abolished. As I said to the participants in the symposium, the children of the Church must revise with a spirit of repentance "the acquiescence manifested, especially in some centuries, with methods of intolerance and even violence in the service of truth" ("Insegnamenti," XXI/2 [1998/2], p. 899; see "Tertio Millennio Adveniente," No. 35).
This spirit of repentance clearly implies the firm determination to seek in the future paths of evangelical testimony of the truth.
4. On March 12, 2000, on the occasion of the liturgical celebration that characterized the Day of Forgiveness, forgiveness was asked for the errors committed in the service of truth, taking recourse to non-evangelical methods. The Church must carry out this service imitating her Lord, meek and humble of heart.
The prayer I then addressed to God contains the reasons for the petition for forgiveness, which is valid both for the dramas linked to the Inquisition as well as for the wounds they have caused in the memory: "Lord, God of all men, in some periods of history Christians have yielded to methods of intolerance and have not followed the great commandment of love, thus disfiguring the countenance of the Church, your Bride. Have mercy on your sinful children and accept our determination to seek and promote truth in the gentleness of charity, conscious that the truth only imposes itself with the force of truth itself. Through Christ our Lord."
The beautiful volume of the symposium's "Minutes" is in keeping with the spirit of this petition for forgiveness. In thanking all the participants, I invoke upon them the divine blessing.
Vatican, June 15, 2004
JOANNES PAULUS II
[Translation by ZENIT]
ZE04061503
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Papal Household Theologian at Presentation on Inquisition Symposium
"No Accident That the Commission Was Called Historical-Theological"
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 15, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Here is the address Cardinal Georges Cottier delivered today when presenting to the press the "Minutes of the International Symposium 'The Inquisition.'" The symposium was held in 1998.
* * *
When preparing for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, the Historical-Theological Commission of the Jubilee Committee understood the importance of numbers 33 and 36 of the apostolic letter "Tertio Millennio Adveniente" (1994).
The letter reads: "Hence it is appropriate that, as the Second Millennium of Christianity draws to a close, the Church should become more fully conscious of the sinfulness of her children, recalling all those times in history when they departed from the spirit of Christ and his Gospel and, instead of offering to the world the witness of a life inspired by the values of faith, indulged in ways of thinking and acting which were truly forms of counter-witness and scandal.
"Although she is holy because of her incorporation into Christ, the Church does not tire of doing penance: before God and man she always acknowledges as her own her sinful sons and daughters. As 'Lumen Gentium' affirms: 'The Church, embracing sinners to her bosom, is at the same time holy and always in need of being purified, and incessantly pursues the path of penance and renewal.'"
This message caused so much surprise because of its novelty and boldness that many were disconcerted. It calls for theological reflection.
What is the meaning of the paradox: Holy Church embraces sinners to her bosom? What is the meaning of the evangelical testimony as a dimension of Christian life and of the antithetical behavior of counter-witness and scandal?
To answer these questions, it is opportune to find out what constitutes a real scandal and where it is found. The researchers were given an ample field of study, being part of the context that the Holy Father called "purification of the memory," as the historical memory or image we have of the past, is not lacking in distortions and prejudices.
Obviously, a request for forgiveness can only affect real and objectively recognized events. Forgiveness is not asked for images spread by public opinion, which are part of a myth and do not correspond to reality.
It is no accident that the commission was called Historical-Theological. The contribution of historians was, indeed, indispensable.
A first symposium addressed the issue of the "Roots of Anti-Judaism in the Christian Environment" (1997). Based on a serious historical foundation, it constituted an examination of conscience and a reflection by theologians on a theology of Israel. The minutes were published in the year 2000.
The volume we now present contains the minutes of the second international symposium, held in the Vatican from October 29-31, 1998, on the Inquisition.
It was essentially a colloquium among historians, chosen in virtue of their scientific competence, and ensuring the international character of the participants.
A scientific committee, composed of Professors Father Guy Bedouella, O.P., Agostino Borromeo and Jean-Pierre Dedieu, helped with the selection of guests.
Professor Borromeo, for whose work I am grateful, was responsible for the publication of the minutes. We regret the delay in the publication of this volume. There is a rumor going around that the publication was halted because of the objection of an individual. I wish to denied this categorically. The delay was due to a series of health problems.
I am especially grateful to the Vatican Apostolic Library, represented by His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, His Holiness' librarian, and by Don Farina, prefect, for having published these minutes in the prestigious collection "Studi e Testi" (Studies and Texts).
Moreover, I am also grateful to all the participants in the symposium, and to those who contributed to its success, in particular to Mrs. Pierrette Rombis, who was a decisive collaborator in the presentation of the symposium and its ordered development.
Lastly, the fact that the Holy Father sent the message read at the opening of this session, is one more proof of the interest he has in this initiative and the importance he attaches to it. The symposium, in fact, was in the framework of the preparation of the important event of the liturgical celebration of the petition for forgiveness, of March 12, 2000.
[Translation by ZENIT]
ZE04061508
Editor of the Minutes of International Symposium
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 16, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Researchers now have the necessary materials to write a history of the Inquisition without falling into negative prejudices or propagandist apologetics, says an expert historian.
Agostino Borromeo, the coordinator of the book "Minutes of the International Symposium 'The Inquisition,'" gave that assessment Tuesday during a press conference to present the book.
In the volume, Borromeo gathers the addresses of a 1998 congress, which brought together renowned historians from around the world.
"Historians no longer use the topic of the Inquisition as an instrument to defend or attack the Church," said Borromeo, a professor at Rome's La Sapienza University. "The debate has moved to the historical level, with serious statistics."
Borromeo said that the "black legend" begun in Protestant countries against the Inquisition was opposed by a propagandist Catholic apologetics that failed to obtain an objective view.
He said a "great step forward" was made, in part, with the opening of the secret archives of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the former Holy Office, ordered by John Paul II in 1998. Borromeo illustrated some of the data found in the "Minutes of the International Symposium 'The Inquisition.'"
Referring to the best-known tribunal, the Inquisition in Spain, Borromeo explained that between 1540 and 1700 it held 44,674 trials.
The accused who were condemned to death comprised 1.8%, including 1.7% condemned in "contumacy," that is, they could not be executed as their whereabouts were unknown. In their stead, dummies were burned or hanged.
In regard to the famous "witch hunts," the historian said that the ecclesiastical tribunals were much more indulgent than the civil. In the 125,000 trials held in the Spanish Inquisition's history, 59 "witches" were condemned to death. In Italy, there were 36, and in Portugal 4, he added.
"If we add up this data, we do not even reach 100 cases, as opposed to the 50,000 people condemned to the stake, the majority by civil courts, out of a total of some 100,000 trials held in the whole of Europe during the modern age," Borromeo said.
Proportionally, the most numerous killings of witches took place in Switzerland (4,000 were burned out of a population of about 1 million); Poland-Lithuania (some 10,000 out of a population of 4.4 million); Germany (25,000 out of a population of 16 million); and Denmark-Norway (some 1,350 out of a population of 970,000).
Borromeo explained that the term "Inquisition" was applied to the group of ecclesiastical tribunals that by express papal delegation had jurisdiction to judge the crime of heresy.
The first Inquisitors were appointed by Pope Gregory IX (1227-1241) to combat heresies in specific areas.
"Gradually, with the passing of time, the papacy endowed this institution with its own organization, bureaucracy and norms, which gave a specific face to the Inquisition," Borromeo said.
"Particularly active in the 13th and 14th centuries to combat the medieval heretical movements, especially the Cathars and Waldensians, the Inquisition would experience a decline in its activity in the 15th century," he added.
"But it would experience a resumption of activity in the 16th and 17th centuries with the establishment of the new tribunals in the Iberian peninsula -- whose action was directed primarily against pseudo-converts from Judaism and Islam and with the creation of the Roman Holy Office, first conceived as an instrument of struggle against the spread of Protestantism," Borromeo said.
"The tribunals were eliminated between the second half of the 18th century and first decades of the 19th century," he said. "The last tribunal to disappear was the Spanish one, abolished in 1834."
John Paul II sent a message for the presentation of the "Minutes," in which he underlined the need for the Church to ask for forgiveness for the sins committed by her children in the course of history.
At the same time, the Holy Father clarified that "before asking for forgiveness, it is necessary to know the facts exactly and to recognize the deficiencies in regard to evangelical exigencies in the cases where it is so."
ZE04061604
Volume Doesn't Spare Popes
By Delia Gallagher
ROME, JUNE 24, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Those who claim the Vatican tries to hide behind a veil of secrecy should read its newly published 783-page book on the Inquisition.
The "Minutes of the International Symposium 'The Inquisition'" is a remarkably candid exposé of the tortures and injustices committed by various national Inquisitions (in England, Portugal, Spain, France, Goa) and the Roman one, under the guidance of several Popes and the auspices of the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas. The symposium was held in October 1998.
It is a tribute to the visionary leadership of Pope John Paul II that the Church opened up its archives on this period to Catholic and non-Catholic historians and published their findings. The findings do not shy away from strong criticism of Catholic leadership of the time.
Consider these excerpts:
"In 1559, on express desire of Paul IV, in a systematic and detailed way, all Christians who went to confess their sins were first interrogated about their criminal offences, or their knowledge of crimes of heresy or reading of prohibited books; and if something emerged, they were sent to the tribunal of the inquisition to make a formal denouncement ... if the violence of torture and the gallows broke the body, the moral violence exercised by the subordination of confession to the inquisition broke consciences ... the profound effects of this choice still need to be evaluated in full" (p. 761).
"The largest spurt in executions by the Roman Inquisition occurred shortly after the Council of Trent, during the pontificate of an ex-Inquisitor General. Because of the Roman Inquisition, Pius V has more legal murders staining his record than any other 16th century pope, including Paul IV and Sixtus V. Nevertheless, he has become the only one of this group to be canonized, while the other two remain bywords for bigoted ferocity" (p. 545).
"That the wisest and saintliest among the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, through their personal authority, gave credence to this 'communal doctrine' [of torture and death] to the point of seeming to imbue it with a quasi-Magisterial authority, necessitates that the authentic Magisterium of the Church make honorable amends" (p. 767).
Not a few at the Vatican were concerned that the publication of such details would give ammunition to those who wished to attack the Church.
Yet the Pope insisted on this research as part of his Jubilee Year "purification of memory," which required a scholarly investigation into the truth of what happened during the Inquisition -- not simply to set the record straight, but to ask for forgiveness for the injustices that occurred.
Now it is a tricky theological question how, and indeed why, one can ask for forgiveness on behalf of Popes who have been canonized, and doctors and saints of the Church whose teachings encouraged injustice.
I spoke to the theologian of the Papal Household, Cardinal Georges Cottier, who headed the commission that published the work on the Inquisition.
"The Church does not ask forgiveness for the Inquisition as a whole," Cardinal Cottier clarified. "She asks forgiveness for the fact of the violence employed during the Inquisition."
"The individual guilt of saints or Popes involved in the Inquisition is not judged by the Church; it is a secret of God," he said.
In any moral act, the cardinal explained, there are different levels of responsibility. So, for example, the use of drugs may mitigate the responsibility of an individual who sins under their effect.
Likewise, given the mentality of the age of the Inquisition, when the use of torture and burning was widely accepted, the responsibility of those involved must be considered in this light.
So while the conscience of say, St. Pius V, may have been deficient, it must be considered against the "communal conscience" of the time, said Cardinal Cottier.
"Communal conscience evolves," the cardinal said. "What was considered acceptable for a certain time, may be seen later as unjust."
The cardinal cited the death penalty as a modern example of the evolution of communal conscience.
And just as there can be a progression of conscience, so can there be a regression of communal conscience, as is the case with abortion, said the cardinal.
Readers may contact Delia Gallagher at delia@zenit.org.
US Court allows even Satanism and Witchcraft
News Highlights
18 October 2004
US court orders prisons to consider all religions, even Satanism
Cincinnati, Ohio (ENI). The US Supreme Court has agreed to
consider the constitutionality of a 4-year-old federal law
requiring state prisons to accommodate inmates' religions that
include Christianity, Judaism and Islam, but also Satanism and
white witchcraft. The law, titled The Religious Land Use and
Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 has been the subject of
legal battles throughout the United States. It was designed to
protect religious freedom for people in prisons and other
institutions receiving federal funds. [381 words, ENI-04-0689]
ENI Online - www.eni.ch
Anglican Commission on Gay Consecration
News Highlights
18 October 2004
Anglican inquiry calls US bishops to account for gay consecration
London (ENI). An Anglican commission of inquiry has urged those
who consecrated an actively gay man, V. Gene Robinson, to stay
away from international meetings of the communion until the
Episcopal Church, USA has "expressed its regret" for the action.
The call was made by the Lambeth Commission, which on 18 October
published its findings after a year-long inquiry into the
controversy surrounding Robinson*s election as bishop of New
Hampshire in the United States, as well as a rite of blessing for
same-sex unions in the diocese of New Westminster, Canada. [589
words, ENI-04-0688]
Divided US Episcopals both accept parts of Anglican report
New York (ENI). Frank T. Griswold, the presiding bishop of the
Episcopal Church, USA, reacted cautiously Monday to conclusions
by an Anglican Communion commission seeking to find a way of
preventing a schism over the consecration of homosexual clergy.
But Griswold's reaction was also seen as re-affirming his
denomination's consecration of V. Gene Robinson as the church's
only openly gay bishop, which drew criticism from traditionalist
members of the Anglican Communion, opposing the consecration of
homosexual clergy. [576 words, ENI-04-0690]
ENI Online - www.eni.ch
Fw: [catholicACT] Cardinal Trujillo Speaks Up on "Sex and the Holy City"
http://www.catholic-family.org/documents/FamilyValuesIntro.htmFAMILY VALUES VERSUS SAFE SEXA Reflection by His Eminence,ALFONSO CARDINAL LÃPEZ TRUJILLOPresident, Pontifical Council for the Family December 1, 2003 |
Introduction0001 The mass media have circulated news that I granted an interview to the BBC, which was broadcasted last October 12, 2003, on the eve of Pope John Paul II’s 25th Anniversary in his service as Bishop of Rome. On that occasion, I answered different questions for more than an hour, especially those dealing with the family. But, surprisingly, what was shown from the whole interview on the BBC Panorama’s film, Sex & The Holy City, were merely three questions of less than half a minute each, the answers to which were certainly much more complete. The program apparently tried to deliberately and systematically criticize the Catholic Church for supposedly contributing to the death of people by not allowing the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. The bishops of England and Wales have rightly complained to the BBC for that film, which, along with another program, was “biased against and hostile to the Catholic Church”, and which has “given offence to many Catholics… For many decades the BBC has deserved [and] enjoyed a worldwide reputation for fairness and objectivity, especially in its News and Current Affairs. This reputation is increasingly tarnished.”(1) Many individuals and groups also manifested their disgust with the said BBC’s Panorama program.(2) In that interview I warned about “safe sex”, stating that one cannot truly speak of objective and total protection by using the condom as a prophylactic,(3) when it comes to the transmission not only of HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which causes the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), but also of many other STD’s (Sexually Transmitted Diseases). I emphasized that in order to control the pandemic, it is necessary to promote responsible sexual behaviour that is inculcated by means of authentic sexual education, that respects the dignity of man and woman, and that does not consider others as mere instruments of pleasure and thus objects “to be used”. I also said that such responsible sexual behaviour takes place only in conjugal love, assuming the responsibilities of marriage as a reciprocal, exclusive and total self-giving of a man and a woman in a community of love and life. Therefore, my position was absolutely clear against the so-called inordinate sex, against promiscuity that is fuelled today by certain permissive political measures and certain means of communication. That is why I reminded the audience that the Church teaches a moral position that is valid for all, both believers and non-believers. I also proposed that the Ministries for Health should require labels for condoms, as they do in the case of cigarettes, stating that the protection condoms provide is not total, and that the risks are indeed significant.(4) In order to stress that the level of protection provided by the condom against HIV/AIDS and STD’s is not sufficient, I also referred to a certain permeability suggested by the results of scientific investigations. Such concern also has to be given attention considering that the AIDS virus is 450 times smaller than the sperm cell – in addition to other risks brought about by different factors in the condom’s structure and in its actual usage.(5) [The Cardinal's article contains 87 footnotes. Discussion about permeability is from paras 6 - 13. ] [para 10] .... Cardinal Eugenio De Araujo Sales, who was for many years Archbishop (and now Emeritus) of the immense Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, recently stated in a newspaper article that several lots of condoms (some from leading brands) were recalled from the market in Brazil in 1999, 2000 and 2003, due to failure in different tests and to the discovery of counterfeit products.(45) According to Cardinal Sales, the 1999 recall, for example, involved 1,036,800 units of the condom Prudence, the third leading brand in Brazil, because it failed the test done by Inmetro, the government’s Ministry for Development, Industry and Exterior Commerce. Even prior to these comments made by the Cardinal, the consumer group Civitas International stated that, “In 1991, IDEC [Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor] published a study that reported that five out of the seven top condom brands in Brazil, including the nation’s number one brand, Jontex, manufactured by Johnson and Johnson, flunked international safety tests.”(46) [para 11] ...There are also condoms made from other materials such as polyurethane, which are “comparable to latex condoms as a barrier to sperm and HIV virus”, and natural membrane (lambskin) condoms, “which are useful in preventing pregnancy, [but] are not effective protection against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. Although sperm cannot pass through the lambskin material, small microorganisms, including HIV, can penetrate these condoms”.(49) ...among consistent condom users, there is still the possible transmission of the HIV.(50) The Workshop Summary discussed earlier also says that “[t]here is demonstrated exposure to HIV/AIDS through sexual intercourse with a regular partner (with an absence of other HIV/AIDS risk factors). Longitudinal studies of HIV- [negative] sexual partners of HIV+ [positive] infected cases allow for the estimation of HIV/AIDS incidence among condom users and condom non-users. From the two incidence estimates, consistent condom use decreased the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission by approximately 85%.”(51) [The author then describes condom failure due to real life use]
[footnotes] 49) Mike Kubic, New Ways to Prevent and Treat AIDS, in FDA Consumer, Jan-Feb 1997 (revised May 1997 and Jan 1998; available at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1997/197_aids.html). 51) Workshop Summary, p. 14. 27) See Workshop Summary: Scientific Evidence on Condom Effectiveness for Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention, 20 July 2001, pp. 1-2. The Workshop Summary is available from the internet: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/stds/condomreport.pdf |
Fw: [catholicACT] Persecutor Pliny (c. AD 111) Testifies that Christians Worship Jesus as God
HIV/AIDS infection in Singapore; Thailand, Philippines - a comparison
HIV/AIDS infection rises in Singapore
November 24, 2003
Singapore
Heterosexual transmission, especially with prostitutes or casual sex partners, was the major cause of the new infections, the ministry of health (MOH) said in a statement.
Of the 201 new cases, 198 of them were infected via sexual transmission with heterosexual sex responsible for 78 percent of it, the MOH said.
About 88 percent of the new cases in the January-October period were males.
"Heterosexual transmission has been the most common mode of HIV transmission among Singaporeans since 1991," the MOH said.
"Most of these cases contracted the infection through casual sex and sex with prostitutes in Singapore and overseas," it said.
"Among those who acquired the infection through the sexual route, about 88 percent had sexual exposure to prostitutes (locally and overseas) and/or casual sex partners."
The latest HIV infection cases bring the total number of Singaporeans afflicted with the virus to 2034 since the first HIV/AIDS patients were detected in the city-state in 1985.
Of the 2034 cases, 488 have full blown AIDS and 776 have died, the MOH said.
With the jump in infections, the MOH reminded Singaporeans to practise safe sex.
"The Ministry would like to emphasise that the only way to avoid AIDS is to remain faithful to one's spouse and to avoid casual sex and sex with prostitutes," it said.
"Persons who engage in casual sex or sex with prostitutes are advised to lower their risk by wearing condoms."
----- Original Message -----From: Clapping TreeSent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 11:08 AMSubject: [catholicACT] FWD: AIDS Rates for Thailand and the PhilippinesQuestion: Who profits the most from increased condom sales?
-------------------------------------------------
Telling the Truth: AIDS Rates for Thailand and the Philippines
http://www.hli.org/Thailand%20and%20Philippines%20AIDS%20Rates.html
According to the U.N., Thailand has 66 million people. While
according to the USAID-funded Commission on Population, the
Philippines is now home to 82 million souls.
As of August 2003 there were 899,000 HIV/AIDS cases documented in
Thailand and approximately 125,000 deaths attributed to the disease.
These numbers are many times those projected by the WHO (60,000-
80,000 cases) in 1991. These numbers contrast sharply with those of
the Philippines where, as of September 30, 2003, there were 1,946
AIDS cases resulting in 260 deaths. This is only a mere fraction of
the number of cases (80,000-90,000) that the WHO projected would be
reached by 2000.
Worldwide HIV Situation
http://www.youandaids.org/Asia%20Pacific%20at%20a%20Glance/Philippines/index.asp#scenario
The Philippines has a relatively low prevalence rate in the world
with less than one percent of Filipino adults infected with HIV.
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Fw: [catholicACT] Re: HIV can go thru the condom?
It was notable that [BBC's] Mr Bradshaw did not enquire as to which scientists and scientific studies
had helped form the opinion that viral leakage was a risk factor in condom use. If Mr
Bradshaw had been interested in finding out ‘who has been telling them this?’ he might have
cited:
•
C.M. Roland, The barrier performance of latex rubber Rubber World (June 1992), whichstates that the pores in latex condoms are a minimum of 50 and up to 500 times larger than
the AIDS virus
•
Roland et al., Rubber and Plastic News January 12, 1998: "More than one million HIVsized particles pass through a square centimetre of rubber within 30 minutes."
•
J.A. Levy, J. Amer. Med. Assoc. 261, 46 (1989); J.N. Krieger, J. NH Research 4, 104(1992) "HIV semen can be cell-free or cell-associated. Cell-free HIV means the HIV virus
is not attached to any other cell in semen and therefore may pass through an intact
condom."
When the Linacre Centre (the leading Catholic bioethics body in the UK) spoke to Dr Roland
of the Naval Research laboratory (NRL) about the issue, he said that none of the research he
has monitored over the last 10 or so years contradicts the conclusion he came to from his own
work that leakage of HIV through condoms was a definite possibility. He was prepared to be
quoted on this point.
[page 26]
Even broadly ‘pro-condom’ studies such as N. Hearst and S. Chen’s
Condom Promotion forAIDS Prevention in the Developing World: Is it working?
(May 26, 2003) supported byUNAIDS, do not express the unquestioning faith in the efficacy of condoms presented by
Panorama.
In spite of arguing in favour of condom promotion, the study readily accepts that‘condoms may occasionally be permeable to virus-size particles’ [p. 5] and that ‘sad
experience shows that high HIV transmission can coexist with high condom use’ [p. 7]
A study published in the leading British medical journal
The Lancet stated:"Increased condom use will increase the number of [HIV/AIDS] transmissions that result
from condom failure" and "a vigorous condom promotion policy could increase rather than
decrease unprotected sexual exposure if it has the unintended effect of encouraging a greater
overall level of sexual activity." [‘Condoms and seat belts: the parallels and the lessons’ The
Lancet, 29 January 2000] The Hearst and Chen study already cited expresses a similar
concern: "the possibility that presenting casual sex with a condom as socially acceptable,
enjoyable, and safe might increase sexual risk in the general public cannot be dismissed.’ [p.
11]
The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has indicated in the past that ‘the
risk of contracting AIDS during so-called "protected sex" approaches 100 percent as the
number of episodes of sexual intercourse increases’ (Cates Medical Bulletin, IPPF 1997).
~~~
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
Tan Yew Hock (Matthew)
----- Original Message -----From: Clapping TreeSent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 4:34 PMSubject: [catholicACT] Re: HIV can go thru the condom?Thanks again.
This report is quite old, 1990. Apparently some newer research and
reports have shown that good condoms properly used are impermeable,
my colleagues insisted.
A recent Bradshaw interview with the cardinal and several medical
experts is quite negative on the whole. Apparently, there was some
misquoting, etc. Although one of the experts has stated that "more
condoms do not = less aids", the interviewer still summed up the
whole thing as condoms are effective for protection and should be
used.
See http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2004/s1159065.htm
i tried highlighting that the Church's recommendation is: (1) for
its followers, (2) based on theological grounds and not medical
studies, and (3) Jesus himself has said in Matthew 5:27-30, "You
have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I
say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already
committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes
you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to
lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into
hell.l And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and
throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than
for your whole body to go into hell."
btw, no, my colleagues are not Catholic. They have read many
negative reports against the Church and are quite ... One of them
kept bringing up the Galileo story to say that the Church is anti-
science and even against real truth.
The only good thing that about this is: we are discussing this in a
rational unemotional way.
Fw: [catholicACT] How do you verify a miracle - Our Lady of Lourdes
Theillier: The Lourdes International Medical Committee [CMIL], a consultation committee made up of some 20 permanent members, doctors from hospitals all over Europe, meets once a year to examine the more serious dossiers.
Of some 50 cases reported every year, about five are studying at length. The members of CMIL do the work of experts, which consists of analyzing the information contained in the dossiers.
The scientific aspect must be distinguished from the spiritual. The cure must exceed the known laws of the illness' evolution, and the person who has experienced the miracle must also recognize the spiritual meaning of the event.
For the cure to be recognized as a miracle, it must fulfill seven criteria. It is necessary to verify the illness, which must be serious, with an irrevocable prognosis. The illness must be organic or caused by injuries. There must be no treatment at the root of the cure. The latter must be sudden and instantaneous.
Finally, the renewal of functions must be total and lasting, without convalescence.
For this reason, the recognition of a miracle takes several years. Once we have recognized it, the cure is published by the bishop of the diocese where the person resides who experienced the miracle.
ZE04082220
Fw: [catholicACT] Re: HIV can go thru the condom?
Further on the biased BBC's Panorama programming. Note the disclaimer on Durex's (condom manufacturer) web site. And NIH's cautious conclusion of its scientific findings.
http://www.spuc.org.uk/papers/biasbbc.pdf
[page 23-24]
Not only are there no scientific studies stating
that condoms are 100% safe but the condom companies and promoters themselves
acknowledge that condoms, even when used consistently, are not foolproof. The cost in
human and legal terms is too serious for them to risk stating otherwise.
The programme failedto mention Durex’s statement on their website: "Latex condoms, when used consistently and
correctly are a highly effective barrier to the sexual transmission of HIV and other STIs."
Unfortunately, as well-informed people are aware (but not, it would appear, the makers of
Sex14
http://www.usaid.gov/pop_health/aids/Countries/africa/uganda_report.pdf24
and the Holy City)
‘correct and consistent use’ is the ideal more often than the reality. Thesuccess rate for ‘typical’ use is much lower. More interestingly in this context, Durex goes on
to point out that there is only one 100% effective way of preventing HIV infection.
"However, for complete protection from HIV and other STIs, the only totally effective
measure is sexual abstinence or limiting sexual intercourse to mutually faithful, uninfected
partners." Coincidentally, the Catholic Church endorses this radical, practical and foolproof
method of HIV prevention, as does the World Health Organisation.
What was even more misleading, however, was the
Panorama programme’s misuse of the USNational Institute of Health’s report. We were told:
Bradshaw: The most authoritative recent report is by the US National Institute of Health which
concluded: ‘Intact condoms are essentially impermeable to the smallest sexually transmitted virus’ and
‘that the consistent use of male condoms protects against HIV/AIDS transmissions.’
This quote does not come entirely from the conclusion of the report and is not a single,
condensed reference at all as was suggested. It is spliced from two different sections of the
report, p. 7 and p. 27. Furthermore,
Panorama omitted to mention other key aspects of thisreport:
i) The introduction to the report (p. ii) concluded that ‘because of limitations in study
designs there was insufficient evidence from the epidemiological studies on these
diseases to draw definite conclusions about the effectiveness of the latex male condom
in reducing the transmission of these diseases.’ Why should an investigation by an
allegedly impartial broadcasting corporation fail to mention that the authoritative
report it cites acknowledges itself that it is not authoritative in so far as its evidence is
insufficient and (as point ii illustrates) prone to error?
ii) It recorded the fallibility of any study on condom use because ‘all studies must rely on
self-reported use, a potential source of error due to recall bias’ (p. 5)
iii) It recorded that ‘the combined method failure (slippage plus breakage) is estimated at
1.6% - 3.6% (p. 9) and
iv) ‘approximately 3% of couples who reported using condoms consistently and correctly
(considered "perfect use") are estimated to experience an unintended pregnancy during
the first year of use’ and ‘in a recent well-controlled randomized clinical trial of
monogamous couples using latex male condoms for contraception over six months,
the pregnancy rate during "typical use" was reported at 6.3% (p. 10).
v) Finally, ‘from the two incidence estimates, consistent condom use decreased the risk
of HIV/AIDS transmission by approximately 85%. These data provide strong
evidence for the effectiveness of condoms for reducing sexually transmitted HIV.’
Note ‘reducing’ not ‘preventing’. The programme’s major source of scientific
information for its premise that condoms prevent AIDS transmission admits itself that
condoms decrease risk by only 85% and goes on in its conclusion to state: "it is
important that robust research be pursued to ascertain the true benefits and limitations
of an available risk reduction technology". As John Smeaton commented in an
interview about the
Panorama programme: "Condom use may reduce the risk oftransmission but to spread the message that condom use prevents AIDS is a dangerous
lie. It is no good saying that the risk is 'only 15%', or 'only 1 in 10' when we are
talking about human lives."
15The fact that latex is porous is not a matter for debate. Whether or not the porous nature of
latex can result in viral leakage is a matter of serious contention. What is of interest here,
15
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=44970Fw: [catholicACT] 1 in 5 Americans infected with sexually transmitted diseases (STD), majority incurable viral infections
Fw: [catholicACT] The Sad Case of "Traditionalist" Sungenis - Geocentrism
That Old-Time Science
Robert Sungenis’ Crusade Against Modern Astronomy
by Gary Hoge ...Pope Leo XIII himself tells us how we should interpret those passages of Scripture that describe the physical universe. In paragraphs 18 and 19 of Providentissimus Deus, the Pope specifically discussed the relationship between Scripture and the physical sciences, and he specifically rejected Mr. Sungenis’ implicit claim that the authors of Scripture intended to teach us about the nature of the visible universe. The Pope wrote:
We must remember, first, that the sacred writers, or to speak more accurately, the Holy Ghost Who spoke by them, did not intend to teach men these things (that is to say, the essential nature of the things of the visible universe), things in no way profitable unto salvation. Hence they did not seek to penetrate the secrets of nature, but rather described and dealt with things in more or less figurative language, or in terms which were commonly used at the time, and which in many instances are in daily use at this day, even by the most eminent men of science. Ordinary speech primarily and properly describes what comes under the senses; and somewhat in the same way the sacred writers – as the Angelic Doctor also reminds us – “went by what sensibly appeared,” or put down what God, speaking to men, signified, in the way men could understand and were accustomed to.9The Pope also wrote, “There can never, indeed, be any real discrepancy between the theologian and the physicist, as long as each confines himself within his own lines.” When Mr. Sungenis tries to use the Bible as an astronomy textbook, he is not keeping “within his own lines” as a theologian, but has crossed over into the realm of the physicist and is using the Bible improperly. Scripture does not intend to teach us about astronomy, orbital mechanics, zoology, or the other physical sciences. Therefore, when Mr. Sungenis defends geocentrism by saying, “I also have on my side the testimony of Scripture,”10 he’s wrong. Scripture neither teaches geocentrism, nor teaches against it. Scripture simply wasn’t written to answer that kind of question. As Cardinal Baronius famously observed, the Bible was written to show us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go.11
[ Another wise saying: the bible was written to teach us the Rock of all ages, not the age of the rocks ]
[ The Church does not teach geocentrism ]
...According to Dr. Mirus:
The conclusions to be drawn are perhaps obvious. First, the declaration that Galileo’s propositions were heretical was never published as a teaching of the Church, and it was never intended to be such. It was intended and taken as the advice of certain theological experts who worked in the Holy Office, of value in a legal case, but hardly a norm of faith for the Church as a whole. Second, as noted earlier, Pope Paul V did not endorse this theological opinion, but rather ordered in an in-house directive only that Galileo be commanded to stop holding and advancing his own opinion. This action, then, stemmed from a judgment of prudence about the promotion of ideas which could not be easily reconciled with Scripture. Even as a private document, therefore, the declaration of heresy received no formal papal approval. Third, there is no evidence that Pope Urban VIII ever endorsed any public document which included the declaration of heresy, especially the sentence at Galileo’s trial. That no pope ever promulgated any condemnation of Galileo’s ideas removes the Galileo case entirely from discussions on the historical character of the Church’s teaching authority.It is clear, then, that not even the ordinary Magisterium has ever taught or promulgated the idea that the propositions of Copernican-Galilean astronomy are heretical or errors in faith. Thus it can in no way be claimed that “the Church” has taught that such views are heretical.16
...
In 1992, Pope John Paul II said:
[T]he sentence of 1633 was not irreformable, and . . . the debate which had not ceased to evolve thereafter, was closed in 1820 with the imprimatur given to the work of Canon Settele. . . . Thanks to his intuition as a brilliant physicist and by relying on different arguments, Galileo, who practically invented the experimental method, understood why only the sun could function as the center of the world, as it was then known, that is to say, as a planetary system. The error of the theologians of the time, when they maintained the centrality of the earth, was to think that our understanding of the physical world’s structure was, in some way, imposed by the literal sense of Sacred Scripture. . . . In fact, the Bible does not concern itself with the details of the physical world, the understanding of which is the competence of human experience and reasoning.189 Pope Leo XIII. Providentissimus Deus. 18 November 1893. Paragraph 18, emphasis added. Vatican Website. Retrieved 16 June 2002 <http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_18111893_providentissimus-deus_en.html>.11 Cited in Carroll, William E. “Galileo and the Inquisition,” Journal of Religion and Society, Vol. 1, 1999, paragraph 20. JRS Website. Retrieved 16 June 2002 <http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/1999/1999-3.html>.14 Johnston, George Sim. “The Galileo Affair.” Catholic Educator’s Resource Center Website. Retrieved 16 June 2002 <http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/history/world/wh0005.html>.15 Mirus, Dr. Jeffrey A. “Galileo and the Magisterium: A Second Look.” Faith and Reason. Christendom Press, Summer 1977. Petersnet Website. Retrieved 16 June 2002 <http://www.petersnet.net/research/retrieve_full.cfm?RecNum=559>.16 Mirus, “Galileo.”18 Pope John Paul II. Address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, 31 October 1992, paragraphs 9 and 12. Caltech Newman Center Website. Retrieved 16 June 2002 <http://www.its.caltech.edu/~newman/sci-cp/sci-9211.html>.More readings: http://catholicoutlook.com/geocentrism.php
Fw: [catholicACT] Mario Derksen Denies the Pope - Another sad case of "Traditionalist" Schism
On the Status of “John Paul II” - Part 1
The following considerations have led me, Mario Derksen, editor of Catholic Insight at www.cathinsight.com, to deny that Bishop Karol Wojtyla, “John Paul II,” is the Pope of the Catholic Church.
...
The above argument proves with infallible certitude that Bishop Karol Wojtyla, “John Paul II,” is not the Pope of the Catholic Church, at least as of January 25, 1983 (this argument makes no claim on his "papacy" before that date; but this does not mean it concedes he was Pope before then).
---
Kevin Byrne's Response to Mario Part 2
REVIEW:
Mario Derksen's argument is, in short, to the effect that John Paul II, the Roman Catholic Pope, is not-the-Pope because he promulgated an "evil Law" allowing "notorious" heretics and schismatics (eg. The Eastern "so-called" Orthodox) to receive "Catholic" sacraments, according to Canon 844. Ch. 3. and Ch. 4. of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which is directly CONTRARY, according to "Mr." Derksen (M.A.), to Canon 732. Ch. 2. of the 1917 Code of Canon Law.
Derksen neglects several things, to wit Apostolic authority "to loose" and "to bind" and "to forgive" or "to retain" essentially the same sins. He also fails to understand the essential ambiguity of the proverbial "letter" of disciplinary-LAW, while completely forgetting THE SPIRIT of ecclesiastical Law, which is to extend salvation (healing/forgiveness) to the entire human community. He fails to mention that newer Codes of disciplinary Law abrogate (repeal; cancel) any laws, customs, etc. which are contrary to freshly promulgated legal Codes. (Canon 6.)...Pope Benedict, like all other Popes, always leaves the "door open" into the Roman Catholic Church, requote, "....unless, rejecting errors, they are reconciled with the Church." Derksen's 2nd premise ignores the reconciliation process initiated in 1965 by Paul VI, Patriarch Athenagoras and his Synod in common agreement, which is entirely consistent with the last phrase of the 1917 Code and, in particular, the phrase "unless... they (heretics; schismatics) are reconciled with the Church."
So our modern "Peter", John Paul II, is entirely consistent with All of the Popes Bendict XV , John XXIII and Paul VI by recognizing the reconciliation point of Pope Benedict XV (in "theory"; requote "unless rejecting their errors they be reconciled") and the identical point of Pope Paul VI (in practice; to wit the Joint Catholic Declaration of 1965, where a reconciliation was initiated/promulgated by a Pope who preceded J.P.II), when he promulgated the 1983 Code of Canon Law....:: Apolonio 9:08 AMKevin Byrne's Response to Mario...it is not difficult to understand why the alleged "evil laws" to which Mr. Mario Derksen "appeals" in order to "depose PETER" refer to, quote, "members of the eastern Churches not in full communion with the Catholic Church" (844. 3.), which Mr. Derksen interprets, as, quote, "Eastern schismatics (e.g., the so-called “Eastern Orthodox”)".
However, when excommunications are requote, consigned to oblivion (Paul VI; Not John Paul II), you are not dealing with schismatics, but, rather, those not in full communion, per the 1983 Code (and the entire Joint Catholic-Orthodox Declaration of Vatican II)
...
:: Apolonio 9:00 AM
§3 Catholic ministers may lawfully administer the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the eastern Churches not in full communion with the Catholic Church, if they spontaneously ask for them and are properly disposed. The same applies to members of other Churches which the Apostolic See judges to be in the same position as the aforesaid eastern Churches so far as the sacraments are concerned.
§4 If there is a danger of death or if, in the judgment of the diocesan Bishop or of the Episcopal Conference, there is some other grave and pressing need, Catholic ministers may lawfully administer these same sacraments to other Christians not in full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and who spontaneously ask for them, provided that they demonstrate the Catholic faith in respect of these sacraments and are properly disposed.
