Page 4

... "Who is my mother, or my brethren?" And he looked around about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother. and my sister, and mother." (Mark 3:31-35, emphasis added)

CATHOLIC DOCTRINES ABOUT MARY COMPARED WITH WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
According to Catholic doctrine, Mary was preserved from all stain of original sin from the first instant of her conception.[16]
In Luke 1 :46-47, Mary said: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." Mary knew that she needed a savior.
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception was first introduced by a heretic (a man whose teachings were officially declared to be contrary to Church doctrine). For centuries this doctrine was unanimously rejected by popes, Fathers and theologians of the Catholic Church. [17]
ALL-HOLY
According to Catholic doctrine, Mary, "the All-Holy," lived a perfectly sinless life.
Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Revelation 15:4 says, "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy." Romans 3:10 says, "There is none righteous, no, not one."
Jesus is the only person who is referred to in Scripture as sinless. Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 1 Peter 2:22 says, "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth."
In contrast, Mary said that God is her Savior. (Luke 1 :47) If God was her Savior, then Mary was not sinless. Sinless people do not need a Savior.
In the Book of Revelation, when they were searching for someone who was worthy to break the seals and open the scroll, the only person who was found to be worthy was Jesus. Nobody else in Heaven or on earth (including Mary) was worthy to open the scroll or even look inside it. (Revelation 5:1-5)
PERPETUAL VIRGINITY
According to Catholic doctrine, Mary was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ.[19]
Matthew 1:24-25 says, "Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS." "Till" (until) means that after that point, Joseph did "know" (have sexual relations with) Mary. (See Genesis 4:1 where Adam "knew" Eve and she conceived and had a son.)
Jesus had brothers and sisters. The Bible even tells us their names.
Matthew 13:54-56 says,
"And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, "Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
And his sisters, are they not all with us?" ...
Continued on Page 5.

Page 3

.. toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary."
Alfonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) was a principal proponent of the Marianist Movement, which glorifies Mary. He wrote a book titled The Glories of Mary which is famous, influential and widely read. In this book, de Liguori says that Mary was given rulership over one half of the kingdom of God—Mary rules over the kingdom of mercy and Jesus rules over the kingdom of justice. De Liguori said that people should pray to Mary as a mediator and look to her as an object of trust for answered prayer. The book even says that there is no salvation outside of Mary.[ll]
Some people suggest that these views are extreme and not representative of Catholic Church teaching. However, instead of silencing de Liguori as a heretic, the Catholic Church canonized him as a saint and declared him to be a "doctor of the Church" (a person whose teachings carry weight and authority). Furthermore, his book is openly and officially promoted by the Catholic Church, and his teachings have influenced popes. [12]
Pope Benedict XV said of Mary that "[O]ne can justly say that with Christ, she herself redeemed mankind."[13] Pope Pius DC said, "Our salvation is based upon the holy Virgin..."[14]
A lay movement called Vox Populi ("Voice of the People") gathers signed petitions to send to the Pope, seeking to have him officially declare that Mary is Co-Redemptrix. As of the year 2000, over six million signatures had been sent to him, representing 138 countries and all seven continents. This doctrine is supported by over 40 cardinals and 600 bishops worldwide.[15]
The Catholic Church exalts Mary as an idealized, larger-than-life, perfect mother. However, the Bible shows that at one point Mary misunderstood Jesus' calling to the point that she thought He was insane and she tried to prevent Him from doing what God wanted Him to do. Look at Mark 3:20-34.
"And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself." (Mark 3:20-21)
According to Strong's Greek/Hebrew Dictionary, the Greek word translated "his friends" has a variety of meanings, including "kinsmen." However, we don't have to depend on the exact meaning of the word here because it will be made clear in verse 31. Strong's defines "lay hold on" as "to use strength, i.e. seize or retain." It defines "beside himself as "become astounded, insane."
Verses 22 through 30 describe a confrontation between Jesus and the scribes. Then we get back to what is happening with the people who thought that Jesus was out of His mind and were so concerned that they were coming to "lay hold on him" (seize him).
"There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying:
... continued on Page 4

Freedom and Democracy for Britain

Britain is being forced into the EU Superstate against the will of British People. Why?

Richard Bennett and Michael de Semlyen write, in their article:

"Papal Rome and the European Union"

"French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer signed the agreement, The Treaty of Paris, as co-founders of the Franco-German Coal and Steel Confederation. Like their colleagues Jean Monnet and Paul Henri Spaak, they were both devout Roman Catholics who shared the vision of successive post-war Popes for a re-Catholicized and united Europe. Adenauer and Schuman, along with Alcide de Gasperi, all three “founding fathers”, are in the process of being made into “Saints” by the Vatican as a reward for founding the new Europe “on Roman Catholic principles”.

Britain has been a Protestant country, since Henry VIII founded the Church of England, and H.M. Queen Elizabeth II took a Coronation Oath as "Defender of the Faith"

Is no-one willing to defend Christianity in these islands any longer?

As author Adrian Hilton warned in his article in The Spectator,

“the issue of European religious union is one that has been concealed even deeper than the plans for political union, but the ratchet towards a Catholic Europe is just as real. The Pope’s recent demand that ‘God’ be featured in the emerging European constitution has been echoed by many leading Catholic politicians and bishops. While on the surface such a reference may offend only Europe’s atheist and humanist contingent, it must be observed that when the Vatican refers to God, she sees herself as God’s infallible vice-regent upon earth, the leading organ of divine expression; indeed, according to its publication Dominus Iesus [5 September 2000], as the only mediator in the salvation of God’s elect, insisting that all other Churches, including the Church of England, ‘are not Churches in the proper sense’.”

Why is the Church of England not speaking out against our loss of democratic and religious freedom?

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

Read on for "A New Beginning" in November -(right margin)