Tag Archive | persecution

Evangelist Torben Søndergaard flees Denmark due to religious persecution

Jul30

love4Persecution against Christians is getting worse also in the West

See Youtube film below. 

Atheists and agnostics tend to not believe the Bible, and particularly not when it says that Christians are supposed to be eager (1 Cor. 12:31) to get the gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues, cast out evil spirits and heal the sick. In fact, not even all Christians believe that the gifts are for today (cessationists), and consequently many of them conclude that evangelists such as Torben Søndergaard must therefore be a false teacher, and that all those who claim to have been healed must therefore be liars.

Mark. 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

1 Cor. 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

Ja. 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

Torben has been attacked big time by Danish TV and mainstream media in his country, and typically mainstream media in Sweden and elsewhere joins the choir and calls Torben a cult leader. Maybe Danish TV was even ordered from its superiors to target Torben in order get a suitable foundation for a new Danish law, which among other things says that children are not allowed to witness people getting healed (or getting healed themselves). The law goes even further than that, and since Torben has also been harassed in his home (getting visits by various authorities), he has now fled to the US, hoping to get asylum for himself and his family. He is afraid the Danish authorities might be coming for his children, even though this is not the 1880’s but the year 2019!

When it comes to the Danish film team, they have cut and pasted film pieces together and painted Torben and his organisation in a very bad light. There is likely a law against slander in Denmark, but Torben would likely fail miserably if he attempted to make use of it, because no one would be interested to pursue such a case.

Matt. 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Mark. 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

2 Cor. 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed

With the help of this new law, the authorities in Denmark could very well take the step to take the children away from their own parents. They themselves (journalists, politicians, etc) might believe they are on the good side, but they are doing something very evil to Torben and his family. In a wider perspective, they are also threatening all Christians to cease healing people (God is naturally the Healer and where the gift of healing derives from), or else they might find themselves be prosecuted and even lose their own children.

Those who are persecuting Torben sound a lot like the pharisees who objected to Jesus and his ability to heal people, charging him for doing it with the help of the devil.

Matt. 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

The other day, Swedish Television (SVT) criticized the Jehovah’s Witnesses due to their films regarding Armageddon and the earth’s near cataclysm, which could potentially scare and harm children. This is rather hypocritical since Swedish Television (sadly among others) constantly present scaremongering programs about the earth’s eminent extinction due to “man made climate change” (previously “global warming”) which naturally could scare both children and adults and cause depression. According to mainstream media, in form of Svenska Dagbladet, 80% of all young people in Sweden suffer from anxiety due to the climate change. Why is that a “good” form of anxiety, and why is Torben targeted when there has been no complaint concerning children in his movement, apart from mainstream media and his opponents?

Man made climate change is a hoax just like the Big Bang theory, Evolution, the moon landing, etc, but it is the global elite who runs Youtube, Facebook, Google, Twitter, etc, and this means that they decide what is true or false for our sake so that we do not have to worry about it … We just have to sit back and trust the official stories presented to us – through mainstream media. Sadly many people (even Christians) cannot imagine that the authorities might stoop to such a great level of deception, and maybe such lies can therefore reach the masses with ease.

The elite often uses their concern for children as a reason for changing laws and/or applying censorship, but in reality they only use children as a weapon. (Involving children in false flag attacks/psy ops is also common, to prevent people from criticizing the events or asking questions.) Censorship and persecution might sound so loving and caring even though it is nothing more than silencing people with opposing views (this from Youtube):

“We’ll begin reducing recommendations of borderline content and content that could misinform users in harmful ways—such as videos promoting a phony miracle cure for a serious illness, claiming the earth is flat, or making blatantly false claims about historic events like 9/11″/Youtube, January, 2019

Those who do not believe that the spiritual gifts are for today might not be too concerned that Torben and other evangelists are risking to be for ever censored and silenced. However, today it might be “9/11 Truthers, Flat Earthers and Miracle Cures” but tomorrow it might expand to include films/articles about ALL forms of criticism against ANY official story about a terror attack or large accident.

I believe we have just seen the beginning when it comes to censorship and persecution, and maybe the reason why the elite has not yet started a large campaign against evangelists/pastors for their skepticism about LGBT issues, might be because also Muslims are skeptical about it – and the elite seldom wants to interfere with Muslim interests. Christianity is an easier target.

loveNaturally there was a severe persecution also during the time of the apostles, and Saul (later Paul) was one of the participants before his conversion:

Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Gal. 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

Acts 11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.

Acts 13:50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

Acts 26:11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

2 Tim. 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Rom. 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Acts 7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

Persecution can even make us spiritually stronger. We will certainly rise up from our comfort zone, :

2 Cor. 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

2 Tess. 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

1 Cor. 4:12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

Gal. 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

1 Tess. 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

See Torben’s testimony in the below Youtube film, and pray that his films will be able to remain on Youtube. His popular Last Reformation Movie was blocked by Facebook recently.

The reformers and their uncivilized behavior against the anabaptists

Apr10

Anabaptists required that baptismal candidates be able to make their own confessions of faith and so rejected baptism to infants. As a result of re-baptism, Anabaptists were heavily persecuted during the 16th century and into the 17th by both Protestants and Roman catholics.  The Anabaptists insisted upon the “free course” of the Holy Spirit in worship, yet still maintained it all must be judged according to the Scriptures. The Swiss Anabaptist document titled “Answer of Some Who Are Called (Ana-)Baptists – Why They Do Not Attend the Churches” shows one reason given for not attending the state churches was that these institutions forbade the congregation to exercise spiritual gifts according to “the Christian order as taught in the gospel or the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 14.”  Common Anabaptist beliefs and practices of the 16th century continue to influence modern Christianity:

Persecutions by Protestants. 343 och A Short History of the Inquisition. 344, 346

Article IX: Of Baptism. Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God, and that children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God’s grace. They condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the baptism of children.

August 7th, 1536, a synod was convened at Hamburg to devise the best means of exterminating the Anabaptists. Not one voice among all the delegates was raised in favor of the Anabaptists. Even Melancthon voted to put all those to death who should remain, obstinate in their errors. The ministers of Ulm demanded that heresy should be extinguished by fire and sword. Those of Augsburg said: “If we have not yet sent any Anabaptists to the gibbet, we have at least branded their cheeks with red iron!? 

The Reformed church also fiercely persecuted the Anabaptists. The Anabaptists rejected infant baptism, and advocated immersion as the only effective form of holy bathing. Shortly before the convening of the diet of Augsburg, in 1534, Rothmann, one of the leaders of the Anabaptists, had openly preached in the streets of that city. He had won the people, who cried out to his opponents, “Answer Rothmann, Catholics, Lutherans, Zwinglians!”Luther and his friends answered Rothmann in the old persecuting way. The Anabaptists were excluded from the diet, and Luther wrote to Melanchthon that they were “ravenous wolves,” who harried the sheep-fold of Christ and “should be banished.” At the same diet the consistent Luther demanded liberty of conscience, churches in which to worship, and the full rights of citizenship. He was the prototype of our Sabbatarians, who demand “religious liberty,” while asking that laws be enacted to deprive everybody but themselves of liberty on Sunday. August 7, 1536, a synod was convened at Hamburg to take measures for the suppression of the Anabaptists.

Delegates came from all the cities which had renounced Catholicism. Not one spoke for the Anabaptists. Even the “gentle Melanchthon” voted for death for all who should prove obstinate in their errors, or who should return from banishment. “The ministers of Ulm demanded that heresy should be extinguished by fire and sword. Those of Augsburg said: If we have not yet sent any Anabaptists to the gibbet, we have at least branded their cheeks with red iron. Those of Tubingen cried out: Mercy for the poor Anabaptists who are seduced by their leaders, death to the ministers of this sect. The chancellor showed himself much more tolerant. He wished that the Anabaptists should be imprisoned, where, by dint of hard usage, they might be converted” (Catrou, ut supra, liv. i., 224; Zudin, 464).

This decree was issued: “Whoever rejects infant baptism; whoever transgresses the orders of the magistrates; whoever preaches against taxes; whoever teaches the community of goods ; whoever usurps the priesthood; whoever holds unlawful assemblies; whosoever sins against faith, shall be punished with death. As for the simple people, who have not preached or administered baptism, but who were secduced to permit themselves to frequent the assemblies cf the heretics, if they do not wish to renounce Anabaptism, they shall be scourged, punished with perpetuc.1 exile, and even with death if they return three times to the place whence they have been expelled“ (see Catrou, Gastius, Menzel and Meshovius).

That same year Luther wrote to Philip, Landgrave of Hesse: “Whoever denies the doctrines of our faith aye, even one article which rests on the scripture, on the authority of the universal teaching of the church must be treated not only as a heretic, but also as a blasphemer of the holy name of God. It is not necessary to lose time in disputes with such people; they are to be condemned as impious blasphemers.”

In the same letter, referring to a man who had denied the “doctrine of our faith,” he advises this gentle treatment: “Drive him away as an apostle of hell; and if he does not flee, deliver him up as a seditious man to the executioner.” “It is true that many Anabaptists suffered death merely because they were judged to be incurable heretics, for in this century the error of limiting the administration of baptism to adult persons only, and the practice of baptizing such as had received that sacrament in a state of infancy were looked upon as most flagitious and intolerable heresies” (Mosheim). In Zurich there was a place of imprisonment called the “her etics tower.” Swiss Protestants would put Anabaptists in sacks and throw them into the Rhine, remarking “That they were merely baptizing them by their own favorite mode of immersion” (Menzel).

The Calvinists were as intolerant of the Lutherans as the latter were of the Anabaptists. In some parts of southern Germany the Calvinists had gained the ascen dency and they drove out the Lutheran “sons of the devil.” “More than a thousand Lutheran ministers were proscribed, with their wives and children, and reduced to beg the bread of charity” (Olearius).

In Switzerland Calvin ruled with an iron hand. Audin tells us that the lady who arranged her hair coquettishly was to be imprisoned, as also her chambermaid; the merchant who played cards was confined in a jail; no one could have in his possession a cross or any other symbol of the Catholic church; to sell wafers was a finable offense, and the merchant s stock would be burned as sacrilegious; if a man kept his hat on at the approach of Calvin he was fined; if he contradicted Calvin he could be brought before the consistory and threat ened with excommunication; all must eat meat on Friday, because Catholics had conscientious scruples against doing so; the penalty of disobedience was three days imprisonment.

In one instance a father was imprisoned for four days because he preferred a certain name for his child and the minister preferred another. For having “proposed an opinion false and contrary to the evangelical religion,” Jerome Bolsec was exiled; Gruet was beheaded and his head nailed to a post because “he was suspected of being the author of a placard against Abel Poupin, and because letters ridiculing Calvin were found in his house”; Servetus, on the charge of being a sower of heresies, was kept in prison for two months, tormented with vermin, almost naked, and with little food, and then taken out and burned slowly to death in a greenwood fire.

This atrocious murder was sanctioned by even the “merciful” Melanchthon. Calvin published a treatise entitled “A Faithful Account of the Errors of Michael Servetus, in which it is Proved that Heretics ought to be Restrained with the Sword.” To this Castellio or Socinus replied; this in turn called out Beza and a host of smaller Protestant writers, who proved with perfect ease, of course that killing heretics was sanctioned by the Bible. They said that there was a special dispensation of providence in the case of Servetus, who might have escaped had he not gone to Geneva in disguise after his first conviction. “Calvin and other foreign divines had many tools in Poland, particularly Prasnicius, a violent orthodox clergyman. With this man, and through him with the nobility, gentry and clergy, Calvin and Beza corresponded; and many divines of Germany and Switzerland, and even the synod of Geneva, sent letters and tracts into Poland, all justifying the murder of Gentilis and Servetus and the necessity of employing the secular power to rid the world of such monsters was denied the trinity and infant baptism” (Robinson, “Ecclesiastical Researches”). The consistory of Geneva advised Prince Radzivil “to use his influence with the nobility of Poland, to engage them to treat the antitrinitarians as they would Tartars and Muscovites.”

/text from wikipedia and other resources