The Pope's Cousin is a Jehovah's Witness!

[DonCameron]

Has anyone seen this?..

(By Markus Mannheim The Canberra Times vol 21.08.2005)

*He may be the spiritual head of the world’s largest Christian church, but a cousin of Pope Benedict the XVI says that he is still a naughty boy to her. *

*Steffie Brzakovic, 78, of Cooma, received a call from her famous first cousin shortly after his election in a papal conclave in April. *

*It was the first time she had heard from him in more than 50 years. *

*Mrs. Brzakovic, who was raised in the southern Germany city of Weilheim before moving to Australia in 1956, said she remembered Joseph Ratzinger as a young boy who was often up to no good. *

*"He was everywhere he shouldn’t [have] been, she recalled yesterday, shaking her head. “When I think today of what we did, it’s a wonder that [we are] alive.” *

*When she received the phone call three months ago she first thought it was a prank. It wasn’t until His Holiness told her it was “Ratzinger Pepi”, referring to his childhood nickname, that she realized who was on the other end. *

*“I said, ‘Are you the Pope?’ and he [replied]. ‘But for you I am still Ratzinger Pepi’.” *

*Mrs. Brzakovic was raised as a Roman Catholic, but became a Jehovah’s Witness in the 1970’s. *

*She said that while her religious differences with her family had caused frustration, the Pope had encouraged her for following her faith. *

*“He told me that ‘You are doing the work that we should do’,” she said, referring to her church’s missionary work. “He said, ‘You have halls that are not too big, but they are full. We have cathedrals, churches, chapels and they are empty’.” *

*Mrs. Brzakovic is spending this weekend at a Jehovah’s Witness convention in Canberra with about 3000 district worshippers. *

*Pope’s Cousin a JW You can save the pic of the news article and make it larger to read it. The sister has a DC lapel pin on. *

*Best regards, *

*Anderson *

The Link with a scan copy of the article is at: greekinfo.net/phpbbjwforum/viewtopic.php?t=170

 

[b_justb]

I have several cousins that are JW’s. Where’s my news paper article?

 

[kkin]

Hey, is this true?

 

[mercygate]

Sigh. They say it happens even in the best of families.

 

[jediliz]

I find it hard to believe that His Holiness would PRAISE his cousin for the work the missionaries do when they don’t have the same bible (and it has a few places that are mistranslated) and there are a few beliefs that should be challenged…

The fact that she was raised a Catholic and changed to JW indicates to me that she was poorly educated in her cathechism.

If this is true - we must all pray for her.

 

[moosh]

Well I must say there is no difference in the bible that they share.( I have read it) And as far as beliefs that should be challenged? Well maybe we should start with all the Pagan holidays that the Catholic Religion has adopted over the centuries and mislead people of all faiths? Hmm… Any thoughts?

Moosh

 

[Jerok]

Old thread is old

He told me that ‘You are doing the work that we should do’," she said, referring to her church’s missionary work. "He said, 'You have halls that are not too big, but they are full. We have cathedrals, churches, chapels and they are empty

So the pope says that another religion is doing good work and says Catholics should be more like them eh? Hmm…

I like it! See the good in others and use it to love them and to serve as an example for yourself.

 

[SHW]

Well I must say there is no difference in the bible that they share.( I have read it) And as far as beliefs that should be challenged? Well maybe we should start with all the Pagan holidays that the Catholic Religion has adopted over the centuries and mislead people of all faiths? Hmm… Any thoughts?

Moosh

We Christians have our own holidays. Our Christian holidays commemorate past events that pertain to our Christian faith. Some of these Christian holidays are even celebrated on the same days as the pagans celebrate their own holidays that pertain to their own pagan faith.

Pagans celebrate the Winter Solstice. Christians including Catholics celebrate what they call Christmas which is the birth of their Savior. Two entirely different events even if both the Christian holiday and the pagan holiday are celebrated on the same day or near the same day.

Pagans celebrate the Spring Solstice. Christians celebrate the Resurrection of their Savior. Two entirely different events even if both the Christian holiday and the pagan holiday are celebrated on the same day or near the same day.

Christians like to celebrate special events, even our own personal birthday anniversaries, as do most all people (except perhaps Jehovah’s Witnesses and a few others).

There are only 365 days in a year. There are probably celebrations commemorating events for the pagans’ many gods and goddesses, etc. on most if not all of these 365 days.
**
Pagans do not own the days of the year. God does.** He created them and “He saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.”

Genesis 1:31
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
**
Jesus was circumcised into the Jewish faith and so He celebrated the many Jewish holidays/festivals/feasts:**

Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication.

John 10:22-23
Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.

Paul celebrated Christian holidays:

Paul hopes to be in Jerusalem in time for the Day of Pentecost.

Acts 20:16
For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost.

Celebrations are an important part of both our Jewish and Christian heritages. We do not heed what the pagans do to honor their false gods on the 365 days that God created. We are instead concentrating on showing honor to our own true God, by giving honor to important events in the His Son’s (Jesus) life on earth. Jesus who is also called God (Word) along with the Father who is called God and the Holy Spirit who is called God – are actually three Persons in one God.

John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. …14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth…29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

We celebrate the Word becoming flesh (Jesus born of the Virgin Mary) on December 25th. This is pleasing to God.

Christians are no longer bound by Jewish holidays/festivals/feasts. We Christians now have our own holidays and our own worship day on the first day of the week (Sunday) in commemoration of the Resurrection of Christ. We are no longer bound by the Jewish Sabbath laws.

Colossians 2:15-17
Having disarmed principalities and powers, He (Jesus Christ) made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

The Christians’ regular weekly worship day eventually became Sunday in order to commemorate their Lord’s Resurrection Day and Paul instructed them to take up collections every week on this first day of the week (Sunday) when they assembled together. (2 Corinthians 11:7-10), 1 Timothy 5:17-19, Hebrews 10:24-25

1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

 

[SHW]

Old thread is old

He told me that ‘You are doing the work that we should do’," she said, referring to her church’s missionary work. "He said, 'You have halls that are not too big, but they are full. We have cathedrals, churches, chapels and they are empty

So the pope says that another religion is doing good work and says Catholics should be more like them eh? Hmm…

I like it! See the good in others and use it to love them and to serve as an example for yourself.

He is a brilliant man.

 

[SunnaB16]

“…no difference in the bible that they share.”
Hardly!
With a little bit of fudging here, there and everywhere, the New World Translation is a lot
different from Church approved Bible translations.

 

[adelore]

The JWs Church will say the Catholic Church is so Wrong on many things, yet even the JWs in their Kingdom Halls worship on Sunday, the first day of the week. Changed by the Catholic Church. (How come they don’t go back to the Sabbath?)

JW’s years ago, (like back when I was a kid) celb. Christmas and Easter, along with trick or treating on Halloween, and even Valentines Day was ok. I remember several years of this, as I had friends who’s families were JWs. But then someone at the Helm of the Watch Tower Society decided that the Christmas Tree was being “worshiped” and was wrong. And of course they decided a lot of other things were wrong about Christmas.

Also it makes no sense on why they do the memorial supper (their form of Comunion) on “good friday” . Catholics also celb. Good Friday. Of course I already know the reason they don’t celb Easter. (they feel it’s a Pagan Holiday, but like others have pointed out on here, take any day of the year and you might find a Pagan Holiday which brings me to this…

Anniversary’s. JW’s do indeed celb their Anniversary’s of their wedding. So why is this not wrong? After all without a doubt there are at least several, if not more JW’s Anniversary’s that fall on a Pagan Holiday. Hmm…something to think about if you are a JW.

Let’s talk about Hell. JWs believe this is the Grave and the Grave only. They say the dead are asleep. If there is no fear of Hell and one is only going to fall asleep forever, then there is nothing to fear or even worry about Heaven or Pradise on Earth. I mean after all a person could really “Whoop it up” here on earth and the worst that is going to happen to them once they die, is they fall asleep. Sure they may never see God, or make it to Heaven or live on a Pradise Earth, but they also have been taught, by JWs that there is no Hell to Fear.

A True and Devoted JW should go back and really do a History Check on your Own Religion, you will find many changes over the years and many predictions that fell through about when Jesus was comming back. Even the Bible said…No one knows the day or the hour. So just maybe you should check out your own pratices and see where they come from and the “history” behind them.

The Watch Tower Society, picks and chooses what it wants to believe with every new head of it. I pray someday they get a Good Catholic at the helm of The Watch Tower Society.

 

[SunnaB16]

adelore:
Pope Benedict would be the best candidate to take over the helm…and with family
connections as well…

 

[kalt]

Well I must say there is no difference in the bible that they share.( I have read it) And as far as beliefs that should be challenged? Well maybe we should start with all the Pagan holidays that the Catholic Religion has adopted over the centuries and mislead people of all faiths? Hmm… Any thoughts?

Moosh

There are several posts that others with your mindset posted. Their claims have been thoroughly disproven. So, no, there are no thoughts that need to be added.

 

[SHW]

adelore:
Pope Benedict would be the best candidate to take over the helm…and with family
connections as well…

 

[AmericanJosiah]

Has anyone seen this?..

(By Markus Mannheim The Canberra Times vol 21.08.2005)

*He may be the spiritual head of the world’s largest Christian church, but a cousin of Pope Benedict the XVI says that he is still a naughty boy to her. *

*Steffie Brzakovic, 78, of Cooma, received a call from her famous first cousin shortly after his election in a papal conclave in April. *

*It was the first time she had heard from him in more than 50 years. *

*Mrs. Brzakovic, who was raised in the southern Germany city of Weilheim before moving to Australia in 1956, said she remembered Joseph Ratzinger as a young boy who was often up to no good. *

*"He was everywhere he shouldn’t [have] been, she recalled yesterday, shaking her head. “When I think today of what we did, it’s a wonder that [we are] alive.” *

*When she received the phone call three months ago she first thought it was a prank. It wasn’t until His Holiness told her it was “Ratzinger Pepi”, referring to his childhood nickname, that she realized who was on the other end. *

*“I said, ‘Are you the Pope?’ and he [replied]. ‘But for you I am still Ratzinger Pepi’.” *

*Mrs. Brzakovic was raised as a Roman Catholic, but became a Jehovah’s Witness in the 1970’s. *

*She said that while her religious differences with her family had caused frustration, the Pope had encouraged her for following her faith. *

*“He told me that ‘You are doing the work that we should do’,” she said, referring to her church’s missionary work. “He said, ‘You have halls that are not too big, but they are full. We have cathedrals, churches, chapels and they are empty’.” *

*Mrs. Brzakovic is spending this weekend at a Jehovah’s Witness convention in Canberra with about 3000 district worshippers. *

*Pope’s Cousin a JW You can save the pic of the news article and make it larger to read it. The sister has a DC lapel pin on. *

*Best regards, *

*Anderson *

The Link with a scan copy of the article is at: greekinfo.net/phpbbjwforum/viewtopic.php?t=170

Well, none of us can pick our relatives, lol…

The most interesting part of this, IMHO, is His Holiness praising the JW’s and their work. Hum.

.

 

[izoid]

Well I must say there is no difference in the bible that they share.( I have read it) And as far as beliefs that should be challenged? Well maybe we should start with all the Pagan holidays that the Catholic Religion has adopted over the centuries and mislead people of all faiths? Hmm… Any thoughts?

Moosh

Yes, we should start with throwing stones at each other.

 

[SHW]

Well, none of us can pick our relatives, lol…

The most interesting part of this, IMHO, is His Holiness praising the JW’s and their work. Hum.

Luke 9:49-50
Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”
50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.”

 

[RomanCath379]

Has anyone seen this?..

(By Markus Mannheim The Canberra Times vol 21.08.2005)

*He may be the spiritual head of the world’s largest Christian church, but a cousin of Pope Benedict the XVI says that he is still a naughty boy to her. *

*Steffie Brzakovic, 78, of Cooma, received a call from her famous first cousin shortly after his election in a papal conclave in April. *

*It was the first time she had heard from him in more than 50 years. *

*Mrs. Brzakovic, who was raised in the southern Germany city of Weilheim before moving to Australia in 1956, said she remembered Joseph Ratzinger as a young boy who was often up to no good. *

*"He was everywhere he shouldn’t [have] been, she recalled yesterday, shaking her head. “When I think today of what we did, it’s a wonder that [we are] alive.” *

*When she received the phone call three months ago she first thought it was a prank. It wasn’t until His Holiness told her it was “Ratzinger Pepi”, referring to his childhood nickname, that she realized who was on the other end. *

*“I said, ‘Are you the Pope?’ and he [replied]. ‘But for you I am still Ratzinger Pepi’.” *

*Mrs. Brzakovic was raised as a Roman Catholic, but became a Jehovah’s Witness in the 1970’s. *

*She said that while her religious differences with her family had caused frustration, the Pope had encouraged her for following her faith. *

*“He told me that ‘You are doing the work that we should do’,” she said, referring to her church’s missionary work. “He said, ‘You have halls that are not too big, but they are full. We have cathedrals, churches, chapels and they are empty’.” *

*Mrs. Brzakovic is spending this weekend at a Jehovah’s Witness convention in Canberra with about 3000 district worshippers. *

*Pope’s Cousin a JW You can save the pic of the news article and make it larger to read it. The sister has a DC lapel pin on. *

*Best regards, *

*Anderson *

The Link with a scan copy of the article is at: greekinfo.net/phpbbjwforum/viewtopic.php?t=170

So what?

 

[moosh]

The JWs Church will say the Catholic Church is so Wrong on many things, yet even the JWs in their Kingdom Halls worship on Sunday, the first day of the week. Changed by the Catholic Church. (How come they don’t go back to the Sabbath?)

JW’s years ago, (like back when I was a kid) celb. Christmas and Easter, along with trick or treating on Halloween, and even Valentines Day was ok. I remember several years of this, as I had friends who’s families were JWs. But then someone at the Helm of the Watch Tower Society decided that the Christmas Tree was being “worshiped” and was wrong. And of course they decided a lot of other things were wrong about Christmas.

Also it makes no sense on why they do the memorial supper (their form of Comunion) on “good friday” . Catholics also celb. Good Friday. Of course I already know the reason they don’t celb Easter. (they feel it’s a Pagan Holiday, but like others have pointed out on here, take any day of the year and you might find a Pagan Holiday which brings me to this…

Anniversary’s. JW’s do indeed celb their Anniversary’s of their wedding. So why is this not wrong? After all without a doubt there are at least several, if not more JW’s Anniversary’s that fall on a Pagan Holiday. Hmm…something to think about if you are a JW.

Let’s talk about Hell. JWs believe this is the Grave and the Grave only. They say the dead are asleep. If there is no fear of Hell and one is only going to fall asleep forever, then there is nothing to fear or even worry about Heaven or Pradise on Earth. I mean after all a person could really “Whoop it up” here on earth and the worst that is going to happen to them once they die, is they fall asleep. Sure they may never see God, or make it to Heaven or live on a Pradise Earth, but they also have been taught, by JWs that there is no Hell to Fear.

A True and Devoted JW should go back and really do a History Check on your Own Religion, you will find many changes over the years and many predictions that fell through about when Jesus was comming back. Even the Bible said…No one knows the day or the hour. So just maybe you should check out your own pratices and see where they come from and the “history” behind them.

The Watch Tower Society, picks and chooses what it wants to believe with every new head of it. I pray someday they get a Good Catholic at the helm of The Watch Tower Society.

msnbc.msn.com/id/34593719/ns/politics-the_new_york_times Changes in beliefs? Your information you have passed along here is fabricated. The Witnesses follow the bible as close as humanly possible, not fabricating anything. How easy it would have been if only you could have found the word ‘Christmas’ in the bible just for starters. This is a touchy subject I realize and am not here to change any of your beliefs, however, the fact are facts. This New York Times Article is just more proof of why our Catholic Church has been crumbling over the years. Ya just cant make it up as you go along. Revelation makes it’s position pretty clear ‘do not add nor take away from these scriptures’. Moosh

 

[Bill_Pick]

Well I must say there is no difference in the bible that they share.( I have read it) And as far as beliefs that should be challenged? Well maybe we should start with all the Pagan holidays that the Catholic Religion has adopted over the centuries and mislead people of all faiths? Hmm… Any thoughts?

Moosh

Please get a Christian bible and read John 1:1, and leave your bible bible at home