Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - Modern-Day "Harlotry" - Conclusion

 Such Catholic diplomacy illustrates the kind harlotry that religion has engaged in over the past 4,000 years in wooing the political state in order to gain power and advantage. Such religio-political relationships have fostered warfare, persecutions, and human misery on a vast scale. How happy mankind can be that Jehovah's judgment upon the great harlot is a hand. May it soon be executed!

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot -Modern-Day "Harlotry" - Continue

 Though a handful of priests and nuns protested Hitler's  atrocities-and suffered for it-the Vatican as well as the Catholic Church and its army of clergy gave either active or tacit support to the Nazi tyranny, which they regarded at bulwark against the advance of world communism. Sitting pretty in the Vatican, Pope Pius XII let the holocaust on the Jews and the cruel persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses and others proceed uncriticized. It is ironical that Pope John II, on visiting Germany on May 19187, should glorify the anti-Nazi stand of one sincere priest. What were the other thousands of the German's clergy during Hitler's reign of terror? A pastoral letter issued by the German Catholic bishops in September 1939 at the outbreak of World War II provides enlightenment on this point. It reads in part: "In this decisive hour we admonish our Catholic soldiers to do their duty in obedience to the Fueher and to be ready to sacrifice their whole individuality. We appeal to the Faithful to join in ardent prayers that Divine Providence may leald this war to blessed success. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - Modern-Day "Harlotry"

 On July 20, 2933, the Vatican's interest in the rising power of Nazism was displayed when Cardinali Paceli (who later became Pope Pius XII) singed a concordat in Rome between the Vatican and Nazi Germany. VonPapen signed the document as Hitler's representative, and Paceli  there conferred on von Papen the high papal decoration of he Grand Cross of the Order of Pius. In his book Satan in Top Hate, Tibor Koeves writes of this, stating: "The Concordat was a great victory for Hitler. It gave him the first moral support he had received from the outer world, and this from the exalted source." The concordat required the Vatican to withdraw its support from Germany's Catholic Center Party, thus sanctioning Hitler's one-party "total state." Further, its article 14 stated: "The appointments for archbishops, bishops, and the like will be issued only after the governor, installed by the Reich, has duly ascertained that no doubts exist with respect to general political considerations." By the end of 1933 (proclaimed a "Holy Year by Pope Pius XI), Vatican support had become a major factor in Hitler's push for world domination. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - Modern-day "Harlotry"

 Through her meddling in politics, the great harlot has brought untold sorrow to mankind. Consider, for example, the facts behind Hitler's rise to power in Germany-ugly facts that some would like to expunge from the history books. In May of 1924 the Nazi party held 32 seats in the German Reichstag. By May 1928 these had dwindled to 12 seats. However, the great Depression engulfed the world in 1930; riding out its wake, the Nazis made a remarkable recovery, gaining 230 out of 608 seats in the German elections of July 1932. Soon after, former Chancellor Franz von Papal Knight, came to the Nazis' aid. According to historians, von Papab envisioned a new Holy Roman Empire. His own short tenure as Chancellor had been a failure, so now he hoped to gain power through the Nazis. By January 1933, he had mustered support for Hitler from the industrial barons, and through wily intrigues he ensured that Hitler became Germany's chancellor on January 30, 1933. He himself was made vice-chancellor and was used by Hitler to win the support of Catholic sections of Germany. Within two months of gaining power, Hitler dissolved parliament, dispatched thousands of opposition leaders to concentration camps. and began an open campaign of oppressing the Jews.

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot -Conclusion

 Baylon (or Babel, meaning "Confusion") came to its peak of greatness in Nebuchadnezzar's time. It was a relio-political state with more than a thousand temples and chapels. Its priesthood exercised great power. Though Babylon has ceased to exist as a world power, religious Babylon the Great lives on, and after the ancient pattern, she still seeks to influence and mold political affairs. But does God approve of religion in politics? In the Hebrews Scriptures, Israel was said to prostitute herself when she got involved with false worship and when, instead of trusting in Jehovah, she made alliances with the nations. (Jeremiah 3;6, 8, 9; Ezekiel 16:28-30) Babylon the Great also commits fornication. Outstandingly, she has done whatever she deems expedient in order to gain influence and power over the ruling kings of the earth. 1 TIMOTHY 4:1.

Today, religious leaders frequently campaign for high government office, and in some lands, they share in government, even holding cabinet posts. In 1988 to well-known Protestant clergymen ran for the office of president of the United States. Leaders in Babylon the Great love the limelight; their photos are often seen in the public press as they consort with prominent politicians. In contrast, Jesus shunned political involvement and said of his disciples: "They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world." - JOHN 6:15; 17:16; MATTHEW 48:10; see also James 4:4. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - Continue

 Which religious entity? Is she the Roman Catholic Church, as some have maintained? Or is she all of Christendom? No, she must be even larger than these if she is to mislead all the nations. She is, in fact, the entire world empire of false religion. Her origin in the mysteries of Babylon is shown in that many Babylonish doctrines and practices are common to religions around the earth. For example, belief in inherent immorality of the human soul, in a hell of torment, and in a trinity of gods is to be found in most Oriental religions as well as in the sects of Christendom. False religion, spawned more than 4,000 years ago in the ancient city of Babylon, has developed into the modern monstrosity that is called appropriately, Babylon the Great. Why, though, is she described by the repugnant term "the great harlot"? 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot

 "The great harlot"! Why so shocking a designation? Who is she? Some had identified this symbolic harlot with ancient Rome. But Rome was political power. This harlot commits fornication with the kings of the earth, and this evidently includes the kings of Rome. Besides, after her destruction, "the kings of the earth, " are said to mourn her passing. Therefore, she cannot be a political power. (Revelation 18:9, 10) Additionally, since she is mourned also by the world's destruction, she could not picture big business. (Revelation 18:15, 16) We read, however. that by her spiritistic practice all the nations were misled! (Revelation 18:23) This makes it clear that the great harlot must be the worldwide religious entity. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot

 JEHOVAH'S righteous anger must be poured out to completion, seven bowls of it! When the sixth angel emptied out his bowl at the location of ancient Babylon, it fittingly symbolized the plaguing of Babylon the Great as events move swiftly toward the final war of Armageddon. (Revelation 16:1, 12,16) Likely, it is the same angel that now reveals why and how Jehovah executes his righteous judgments. Joh is struck with wonderment at what he next hears and sees: "And one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying: 'Come, I will show you the judgment upon the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, whereas those who inhabit the earth were made drunk with the wind of her fornication.' " - REVELATION 17:1, 2. 

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Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - "It Has Come to Pass!" -Conclusion

 Thus, Satan's world will meet up with Jehovah's righteous judgment. To the end, most of humankind will continue to defy and blaspheme God. As with Pharaoh of old, their hearts will not be softened by the repeated plagues or by the final death-dealing culmination of those plagues. (Exodus 11:9, 10) There will be no last minute, large-scale change of heart. With their dying breath, they will have to know that I am Jehovah." (Ezekiel 38:23) Nevertheless, the sovereignty of Jehovah God the Almighty will have been vindicated. 

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Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish -"It Has Come to Pass!" - Continue

 Once again, Jehovah acts unmistakably toward mankind, this being signaled by "lightnings and voices and thunders." (Compare Revelation 4:5; 8:5) Mankind will be shaken in a way that has never happened before, as if by a devastating earthquake. (Compare Isaiah 13:13; Joel 3:16) This blockbuster shaking will shatter "the great city," Babylon the Great, so that it splits into "three parts"-symbolic of its collapse into unredeemable ruin. Also, "the cities of the nations" will fall. 'Every island" and "Mountains"-institutions and organizations that seem so permanent in this system-will go. "A great hail," much greater than that which afflicted Egypt during the seventh plague, will pummel mankind painfully." (Exodus9:22-26) This punishing downpour of congealed waters like pictures unusually heavy verbal expressions of Jehovah's judgments, signaling that the end of this system of things has arrived at last! Jehovah could well use literal hail too his destructive work. - JOB 38:22, 33.

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish -"It Has Come to Pass!" - Conclusion

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