Bob Thiel's Blog, page 1124

Iran expect’s sanctions to be lifted in days and then an ‘economic revival’: what about terrorism?

Hassan Rouhani COGwriter Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani is expressing optimism over certain sanctions being lifted: January 11, 2016 Sanctions against Iran will end in “days” and the coming year will be one of “economic revival,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said. “In a few days, we will see the end of the cruel sanctions against Iran,” [...]

Anglicans divided on women and homosexuality, but the USA branch has taken the anti-biblical side

Canterbury Cathedral (Hans Musil) COGwriter The Anglicans could have a split: January 11, 2016 A schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion over homosexual rights and women clerics would be a failure but not a disaster, the spiritual head of Anglicans said on Monday at the start of a high-stakes meeting between conservative and liberal primates. [...]

Hyginus of Rome may have done what?

Vatican City (photo by Joyce Thiel) COGwriter January 11th is the feast day of the Church of Rome for a leader called Hyginus. Although the claimed early leaders of Rome in the Catholic “succession lists” refer to him as a pope, that title was not used by leaders there until the latter part of the [...]

Pope Francis to display remains of ‘St. Pio of Pietrelcina’

Pio of Pietrelcina  COGwriter Zenit.org reported the following: The remains of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, often known as Padre Pio, will be exposed for veneration in St. Peter’s Basilica next month. According to Vatican Radio,… the remains will be exposed Feb. 8 -14. It was Pope Francis who desired that Padre Pio’s reliquary be present [...]

VOA: ‘A Try for Peace in Afghanistan as 4 Nations Meet’

Afghan Taliban Militants COGwriter Voice of America (VOA) reported: January 10, 2016 ISLAMABAD—Pakistan is to host a key meeting of top Afghan, US and Chinese officials on Monday. Participants are tasked to set the stage and determine dates for resuming peace talks between the Kabul government and the Taliban to end years of hostilities in [...]

2 dead, at least 1600 injured, in ‘Black Nazarene’ celebration in the Philippines

‘Black Nazarene’ (Constantine Agustin) COGwriter A reader tipped me off about an idolatrous religious festival this weekend in the Philippines that resulted in two deaths and at least 1600 injuries:  January 9, 2016 Two people died and hundreds were injured during a huge religious festival in the Philippines, where barefoot crowds hurled themselves at a [...]

BibleNewsProphecy: Another ‘Mary’ that is Contrary to the Bible

COGwriter The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel: 16:51 Another ‘Mary’ that is Contrary to the Bible Does the Church of Rome advocate a version of Mary that is contrary to the Bible? Should Mary be prayed to? Is Mary a Mediatrix? Was [...]

NYT: ‘New Yorkers Join the Crush for Tickets as Powerball Jackpot Nears $1 Billion’

Powerball logo COGwriter Overall, government-sponsored lotteries are one of the statistically most foolish forms of gambling.  But as the jackpot’s rise and the odds seem less daunting, even people who normally do not gamble will sometimes buy lottery tickets.  This is again happening: January 9, 2016 New Yorkers Join the Crush for Tickets as Powerball [...]

Germany’s Merkel proposes deportation of those migrants who commit crimes

Boat Migrants to Europe COGwriter Over a week after it was reported that Islamic refugees had sexually assaulted women in Germany, German Chancellor Merkel has decided to take some steps she announced today: January 9, 2016 Migrants who commit crimes should lose their right to asylum, German chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday, toughening her [...]

Cartwright’s Journal out: Ray Wooten’s replacement, CGI/CEM women’s conference, Mac Overterton on soup comments, and more from the late David Jon Hill

COGwriter The latest issue (says #179, print date December 31 2015) of The Journal was sent out electronically and received.  This was one of the shortest editions of The Journal in a while. Items covered included information on Ray Wooten’s replacement, a CEM/CGI conference, Mac Overton’s comments about soup comments, and more from the late [...]