Why the Great Interest on Prophetic Messages, Yet the Apparently Deaf Ear?
Why Are Not More People Acting Upon the Warnings Given?
PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to explore - to ponder aloud - why the information and warnings published by The M+G+R Foundation - compelling as they are - do not move more individuals to act upon the information provided as much as they should.
INTRODUCTION
The best way we thought to approach this important issue was to ask someone - well informed in the matter - to propose some answers to that mystifying question: Much Interest - Little Response. With said response in hand we could try to better understand - and correct if so God Willed - the situation.
The logical individual to ask was False Dawn (1) author Lee Penn. Here we publish what he responded without any editing. miguel de Portugal has commented/responded as necessary within his text in blue.
DETAILS
I can think of several worldly/psychological reasons why many people resist the warnings and messages that you convey.
(a) For a well-catechized Catholic (i.e., someone who is successfully indoctrinated), your criticism of the Church administration hits too close to home.
Many well-trained Catholics - cradle Catholics and converts alike - will reject your message about
the Church administration as a Protestant-sounding attack on their faith. They identify their
faith with uncritical acceptance of Rome's authority and with an apologetic defense of Church
history.
Key point: The "better" the catechesis, the harder it is for criticisms of the Administration to get through.
This problem is not unique to the Roman Catholic Church; there are at least some Eastern Orthodox jurisdictions for whom the Emperor Constantine is a Saint.
Key point: The "better" the catechesis, the harder it is for criticisms of the Administration to get through.
This problem is not unique to the Roman Catholic Church; there are at least some Eastern Orthodox jurisdictions for whom the Emperor Constantine is a Saint.
The above is the most serious reason because it confirms our
repeated warnings: Most of the Faithful believe in 'the Church' and not in God. The results
of that disorder - when a true calamity strikes - is a complete loss of confidence and the
consequential social and economic collapse.
When the apocalyptic-grade earthquakes, tsunami and fires struck Lisbon in 1755, Portugal (2) was a major World Power. Once the "rank-and-file" Portuguese saw the lack of real power of the Church and the Portuguese King and his court, they lost the confidence they had - a confidence based on "human power". That confidence - built on sand - had been the motor of their empire building efforts.
From then on Portugal slid to the level of a third world nation. The correspondence of the time between the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon and the Apostolic Nuncio in Portugal with the Vatican illustrates this in an unequivocal manner. It was almost embarrassing to read such pathetic correspondence from those who erstwhile had been considered "High and Mighty".
We will see this "cause-and-effect" played out again - but on a worldwide scale.
When the apocalyptic-grade earthquakes, tsunami and fires struck Lisbon in 1755, Portugal (2) was a major World Power. Once the "rank-and-file" Portuguese saw the lack of real power of the Church and the Portuguese King and his court, they lost the confidence they had - a confidence based on "human power". That confidence - built on sand - had been the motor of their empire building efforts.
From then on Portugal slid to the level of a third world nation. The correspondence of the time between the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon and the Apostolic Nuncio in Portugal with the Vatican illustrates this in an unequivocal manner. It was almost embarrassing to read such pathetic correspondence from those who erstwhile had been considered "High and Mighty".
We will see this "cause-and-effect" played out again - but on a worldwide scale.
(b) People don't want to accept warnings that the End of These Times is imminent, because of a combination of reasons:
— they fear the suffering that they might go through if they are to experience the Tribulation
and the Second Coming of Christ in their life times; and/or
Understandable. The way around this is for them to prepare as
we have indicated (3), but
continue their lives as if tomorrow will exist as it is today - except, make a concerted effort to
draw closer to God.
— they don't believe that the Second Coming is a literal event that will occur within history.
(To the extent that this is the case, it is an instance of the victory of Modernist catechesis.);
and/or
Understandable. Only prayer on their behalf will assist
them.
— they would like to believe that Christ will come soon ... but are afraid of being (a)
disappointed if the prophecy is wrong, and/or (b) becoming a public laughingstock if they
act on or spread prophecies of the coming of Christ .... and the prophecies do not come to pass as
expected.
(There is historical background for such hesitancy: note the "Great Disappointment" of the Seventh
Day Adventists in 1844, and the public derision that followed the publication of "88 Reasons Why
the Rapture Will Be in 1988" .... a few weeks before the Rapture failed to occur); and/or
32 Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I
will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. 33 But he that shall deny me before men,
I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven. 34 Do not think that I came to send peace
upon earth: I came not to send peace, but the sword. 35 For I came to set a man at variance
against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her
mother in law. [Matthew 10]
Exactly what are we (4) promoting? We are exhorting people to draw closer to God; to live the Gospel; to partake of the Sacraments of the Catholic Faith (5); to live the basic tenets of the Catholic Faith. Every day, millions have their equivalent Second Coming as they exhale their last breath. Are they ready for their private Second Coming? God is not going to allow the institution which has failed Him time (6) and time again (7) to continue to fulfill what their predecessors did:
13 But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter. [Matthew 23]
— academic training and knowledge can be a barrier, too. Any history of Apocalyptic belief will
show many who expected Christ's return during the last 2,000 years ... and until now, all those
expectations have been proven false. It is very easy to believe that, because prophets and seers
nos.. 1-100 have been incorrect, that any prophet #101 or seer #102 will likewise be
incorrect.
34...one in the council rising up, a Pharisee, named
Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, respected by all the people, commanded the men to be put forth a
little while. 35 And he said to them: Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to
do, as touching these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theodas, affirming himself to be
somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all
that believed him were scattered, and brought to nothing. 37 After this man, rose up Judas of
Galilee, in the days of the enrolling, and drew away the people after him: he also perished; and
all, even as many as consented to him, were dispersed. 38 And now, therefore, I say to you,
refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this council or this work be of men, it will
come to nought; 39 But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest perhaps you be found even to
fight against God. [Acts 5]
Again..... Exactly what are we promoting? What the Church Administration had 1600 years to do and did not. (9)
(c) the sequence of events you lay out is new for most people, and does not "fit" the preconceived notions that many people have. Specifically:
— Right-wing Catholics often believe that the Chastisement is imminent, but that it will be
ended when a Great King and an Holy Pontiff set things to rights. In this view, Catholicism
becomes the world religion during a long era of peace, the triumph of the Roman Catholic Church.
These people place Antichrist and the Second Coming far into the future. They hate the idea that
"Rome has lost the faith ... "
— Many right-wing Protestants believe in the pre-tribulation Rapture of the faithful, followed by seven years of evil (left wing/feminist/ etc.) governance at the hands of Antichrist. They have no notion of spiritual peril from the right.
— Other right-wing Protestants don't believe in the Rapture ... but if pressed, will put the Jews at the center of the conspiracy that will raise Antichrist to power. Again, they have no notion of spiritual peril from the right.
— Aside from these groups, there are Christian liberals who no longer believe in the Return of Christ as described in Scripture, and an even larger group of people who do not know about, or think about, this doctrine at all.
— Many right-wing Protestants believe in the pre-tribulation Rapture of the faithful, followed by seven years of evil (left wing/feminist/ etc.) governance at the hands of Antichrist. They have no notion of spiritual peril from the right.
— Other right-wing Protestants don't believe in the Rapture ... but if pressed, will put the Jews at the center of the conspiracy that will raise Antichrist to power. Again, they have no notion of spiritual peril from the right.
— Aside from these groups, there are Christian liberals who no longer believe in the Return of Christ as described in Scripture, and an even larger group of people who do not know about, or think about, this doctrine at all.
This is why the fulfillment of the Steps
(10) - symbolically and/or exactly as
stated - should be the confirmation of our announcements as the Miracle of the Sun was the
confirmation of Mary's visits and messages in Fatima
(11). Logically, only a few will
believe even then but, let us be realistic, Paradise is not exactly a crowded place. Do not take
our word for it; listen to Him:
In case people do not quite understand why Jesus added the statement about the false prophets.... Those are precisely the ones who tell people that if your are Roman Catholic, "you are in", thus saved; if not, "you are out" and "on to hell with you" (12). Or, if Protestant, the ones who tell people that once they are born again they are assured a place in Heaven - no matter what they may do henceforth .
The Faithful should read His Lips: "...few there are that find it!"
13 Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat. 14 How
narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that
find it! 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but
inwardly they are ravening wolves. [Matthew 7]
In case people do not quite understand why Jesus added the statement about the false prophets.... Those are precisely the ones who tell people that if your are Roman Catholic, "you are in", thus saved; if not, "you are out" and "on to hell with you" (12). Or, if Protestant, the ones who tell people that once they are born again they are assured a place in Heaven - no matter what they may do henceforth .
The Faithful should read His Lips: "...few there are that find it!"
CONCLUSIONS
We can summarize the above evaluation of the situation by Lee Penn in one word: Mass Denial (13)
Denial brings temporary comfort and a lengthy stay in Purgatory for the Elect... unless they must live through the Tribulation, in which case, they will live Purgatory on Earth.
miguel de Portugal has asked many Catholics - Marian oriented and otherwise: If the Mother of Jesus Christ (14) repeatedly asks us to pray the rosary (15) and partake of the Sacraments (5), why don't you do it?
The answer usually is: Silence.
The rare times when the silence gives way to: "I just do not have the time" miguel reminds them of the First Commandment which - in essence - is placing God above all.
miguel follows that with: "After my conversion, while practicing two professions, with and through the Grace of God, I was able to attend Mass every day and offer at least three Rosaries per day." That statement basically ends the conversation.
But why was that really possible for miguel? Quite simple: The First Commandment set the Priorities; The Mother of Jesus Christ requested it (16); and miguel believed it... and did it. How was it going to be worked out? Well.... that was God's "problem"! miguel's was to obey Him.
The secret is really: When one places God First and Above All, He will see that whatever you still "must do", and which you assigned to Second Place in deference to Him, gets done. This situation became almost amusing because professional colleagues as well as friends would ask miguel how he was able to get all of "this" or "that" accomplished in so little time. Even most of the governmental regulatory agencies red tape seemed to vanish in thin air.
The "same old (but true) story": With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible. [Matthew 19]
Please - do notice: We are not being told that "FOR God all things are possible" - we know that. We are being told that "WITH God all things are possible."
So much talk... so little Faith.... and even less time.... but do not despair - His Word IS True and Deliverance is close at hand!
EPILOGUE
Why do we continue the publications? The answer is quite simple and it follows....
Note: Because our documents can be as short as three pages and as long as thirty pages we will express the number of documents viewed in terms of four-page-equivalent documents. We can accurately achieve this by converting megabytes of text downloaded into number of four-page-equivalent documents.
Now normal traffic results in the download of 500,000 to 1,000,000 four-page-equivalent documents every month.
The top ten countries visiting our pages, using the number of unique visitors are:
United States, Germany, Russian Federation, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, France,
China
China now represents only one tenth of the volume from the US since the Chinese government cracked down on the Internet. They used to be equally represented, however, the overall traffic is holding up with new traffic from new countries.
That is, we can safely say that at least six million four-page-equivalent documents are downloaded per year and this has been the case for the last few years. Now, how about further back in time?
We started keeping some sort of track on the traffic to our pages back in 2003 - five years after going on-line. Back then the number of four-page-equivalent documents downloaded were around 180,000 per month, a level which was maintained until the end of 2004. From then the number steadily increased to 750,000 to 1,250,000 four page equivalent documents per month. It has now settled at 500,000 to 1,000,000 once the censorship in China became full.
We have visitors from every country in the planet - even from some that we did not know even existed! On the average, the number of returning visitors is 10 - 30 % of of the total, thus we reach 70 - 90 % new individuals every month.
All of the above continues to be possible through the Grace of God manifested through our personal efforts and the hands of the collaborators who have believed in the function God has called miguel de Portugal, and, as the saying goes: "Place their money where their heart is!"
...and that is why God Wills that we continue warning one and all.
NOTES
(1) False Dawn
(4) Our function
(6) What went wrong?
(7) The final straw
(10) Sequence of Steps
(13) Denial
(15) The Rosary
(16) The Mother of Jesus requested it.... over and over again!
Published on April 15th, 2008
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