Witchcraft, Islam and Humanism Are Filling the Spiritual Void Left by the Dying Church - MICHAEL SNYDER CHARISMA NEWS

Wicca is one of the fastest-growing religions in the United States. (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Witchcraft, Islam and Humanism Are Filling the Spiritual Void Left by the Dying Church

 8/29/2016 MICHAEL SNYDER  CHARISMA NEWS

A dramatic spiritual paradigm shift is taking place in the western world. At the end of last week, I discussed the fact that more Americans than ever before appear to be turning away from the Christian faith, and this is particularly true among our young people. And while it is undeniable that atheism and agnosticism are both growing rapidly, it is also important to point out that other faiths are on the rise in the western world at the exact same time that Christianity is shrinking. If you are a Christian, what you are about to read should concern you greatly.

Let's start with witchcraft. It has been estimated that Wicca (one very popular form of witchcraft) is now the fastest growing faith in America. Books and movies featuring Harry Potter and others that use "magic" for good have fueled a tremendous amount of interest in the dark arts these days. Just consider the following excerpt from a Salon article that was published earlier this month:

Stores specializing in metaphysical sundries (think ritual candles, blended oils, sacred herbs) like Spellbound Sky and House of Intuition in Los Angeles, while not brand-new, are suddenly crowded. In Brooklyn, Witches of Bushwick has evolved from a venue on the underground party circuit to a social collective that celebrates witchcraft as a feminist art and collaborates with fashion companies like Chromat. Of course, for those who prefer whipping up potions at home, several new witch- and occult-themed subscription boxes deliver the magical arts to the doorstep.

And social media has enabled young people interested in magic to connect with one another in a way that we have never seen before. Here is more from Salon:

Check social media: A search for #witch on Instagram yields about 2,375,000 posts—whereas one for #kardashian scores only 1,630,000. Search next time at a boutique: Tarot decks are coming back in high style, thanks to retailers like the Wild Unknown—its artful cards are in stores across the country, from upscale meccas like ABC Home in New York City to indie hot spots like Skylark in Venice Beach, California. K-Hole was right, "mysticore" is the new norm.

Yes, there are still many more Christians than witches in America.

But the ranks of those that are into the occult are growing very quickly—especially among our young people—and in many churches on Sunday morning you will be fortunate to find even a handful of young adults.

Meanwhile, Islam is on the rise in the western world as well. Much of this is due to immigration, and new mosques are springing up all over the United States and Europe.

As Islam gains ground, there has been a concerted effort in some quarters to bring Christianity and Islam together. This movement has become known as "Chrislam", and in recent years we have seen some things that many of us never imagined that we would ever see in the Christian world.

For example, earlier this year the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA was opened with a prayer offered to Allah:

"Allah bless us and bless our families and bless our Lord. Lead us on the straight path—the path of all prophets: Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad."

These were the words that rang out over the congregation at The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, USA meeting in Portland, Oregon. Wajidi Said, co-founder of the Muslim Education Trust, led the attendees in the prayer to the Islamic deity, a move arranged by the Ecumenical and Interfaith ministry staff at the assembly.

The prayer was part of the "first order of business" during the meeting's opening session, a time dedicated to praying for those affected by the Orlando shooting that occurred just weeks before.

And of course the Presbyterian Church USA is far from alone. As I have documented, Pope Francis has stated that Christians and Muslims both "worship the one God," and in 2014 he authorized Islamic prayers and readings from the Quran at the Vatican for the first time ever.

But despite such efforts to "bring Christians and Muslims together," the truth is that Islamic terrorists continue to slaughter Christians on a continual basis all over the planet. The most recent attack on a church took place in Indonesia on Sunday:

An ISIS suicide bomber today attacked a Catholic priest with an axe as he tried to blow up hundreds of worshippers at a church during Sunday Mass.

Priest Albert Pandiangan, 60, was holding the holy ceremony at the altar when the 18-year-old fanatic rushed towards him with a backpack bomb and tried to blow himself up.

But the bomb burned without setting off the explosives, so the jihadi pulled an axe from his bag and slashed the priest's arm at St. Yoseph Church in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra in Indonesia.

So far there have been well over 1,000 Islamic terror attacks in 2016, and ISIS appears to have a renewed emphasis on attacking churches and Christians wherever they can find them.

Without a doubt, we are also witnessing a huge increase in the number of atheists and agnostics in the western world. Europe is much farther along than the United States is in this regard, and many areas of the continent are rightly regarded to be "post-Christian" at this point.

In the U.K., the Christian faith has declined so dramatically that now we are seeing the rise of "humanist chaplains" that don't hold to any sort of faith at all:

With participation in traditional faiths at near-record lows, Britain is seeing the rise of humanist chaplains providing "pastoral" support for the non-religious.

Last month the University of Westminster in London broke new ground by appointing its first official secular advisor for students.

The move followed efforts by the British Humanist Association since 2014 to train more than 100 volunteers to go into schools, hospitals and prisons in order to provide support for those who don't believe in a deity.

Fortunately, things are much different in much of the rest of the world. In fact, the Christian faith is currently experiencing explosive growth in China, India, South America and many portions of Africa.

But in the United States and Europe people are leaving the faith of their forefathers in astounding numbers, and that spiritual void is often being filled by other faiths such as witchcraft and Islam.

So what does this mean for the future of our society?

Michael Snyder is the founder and publisher of End Of The American Dream. Michael’s controversial new book about Bible prophecy entitled "The Rapture Verdict"is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.

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Presbyterian Church USA “Curses” Israel With Pro-BDS, Anti-Settlement Resolutions by JNS - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

Presbyterian Church USA “Curses” Israel With Pro-BDS, Anti-Settlement Resolutions

By JNS June 28, 2016  BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“For the LORD your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'” Deuteronomy 20:4 (The Israel Bible™)

Generic Presbyterian church sign with logo. (Photo: James R. Martin / Shutterstock.com)

Presbyterian Church USA passed a series of resolutions at its general assembly in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, while calling on Israel to leave the disputed territories.

Among the measures passed by the Presbyterian Church includes the approval of a report, in a 429-129 vote, that seeks to examine the two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and possible alternatives “including but not limited to that of two sovereign states—Israel and Palestine.” The report says that Israel’s “policy trajectory of continued settlements and brutal occupation” is “deeply troubling.”

“Not only does it make a two-state solution increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to achieve, but the emerging, de facto single state’s systematic violation of Palestinian rights and democratic values is eroding Israel’s moral legitimacy,” the report adds.

Additionally, the Presbyterian Church passed a resolution calling for “prayerful study” of both the church’s support for the BDS movement and opposition to that movement. A third resolution urged the real estate company RE/MAX to stop sales of property within Israeli settlements in the disputed territories. At its previous general assembly in 2014, the Presbyterian Church narrowly passed a resolution calling for divestment from companies doing business in Israel.

The church’s Israel-Palestine Mission Network, which has lobbied for pro-BDS resolutions, praised the “advances made at this year’s General Assembly towards supporting a just and lasting peace in Israel and Palestine.”

Leading American-Jewish groups criticized the church’s moves.

“We are deeply disappointed with the Presbyterian Church’s decision to embrace motions which forward arguments in favor of a bi-national state and of the anti-Israel BDS campaign,” said Rabbi David Sandmel, the Anti-Defamation League’s director of interfaith affairs.

Emily Soloff, associate director of interreligious and intergroup relations at the American Jewish Committee, said that a “major Protestant denomination in the U.S. with deep roots in the Middle East has chosen to be a cheerleader for those whose vision of peace does not include the State of Israel.”

The Unitarian Universalists, another mainline Protestant church that held its general assembly last week, also voted on an Israel divestment measure. Despite gaining 54 percent of vote, the measure failed to secure the necessary two-thirds majority needed for passage.

Churches Under a Curse - Charles Gardner ISRAEL TODAY

Churches Under a Curse

Monday, March 07, 2016 |  Charles Gardner  ISRAEL TODAY

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Churches are bleeding to death because of their refusal to love and support the Jewish people.

An internal report from the Presbyterian Church USA, noted for its anti-Israel stance, predicts that it stands to lose 400,000 members over the next five years1. Methodists in the UK, whose leaders passed a resolution boycotting Israel some years ago, have also seen a dramatic decline in numbers, and are now making things worse by advocating a boycott of Cadbury2 – an insult to the memory and considerable legacy of the chocolate family’s Christian ethos and significant contribution to Britain’s wealth.

Not only that, but one of their number, Richard Cadbury, was a man dedicated to the cause of Jewish mission. After being taken ill with diphtheria during a tour of Egypt in 1899, he was cared for at a Jerusalem hospital (now a school) run by the Church’s Mission among Jewish people where, sadly, he died. But out of gratitude for the kindness with which he was treated, he left them a tidy sum of money. This enabled them to extend the facility to include a new ward for the treatment of infectious diseases and employ an extra nurse, thereafter known as the Cadbury nurse.3

Best-selling author Bill Bryson, in his latest book The Road to Little Dribbling4, says he hadn’t realized how Quakers5 in 18th century Britain were a bullied and downtrodden minority excluded from politics and academia. But they made their mark in industry and commerce, particularly in banking (Barclays and Lloyds) and the manufacture of chocolate (Cadbury, Fry and Rowntree).

“They and many others made Britain a more dynamic and wealthy place entirely as a consequence of being treated shabbily by it,” he writes with his usual penetrating wit. And in that respect they had much in common with Jewish communities of the era. At any rate, Richard Cadbury loved the Jews because of his devotion to Jesus.

Scripture is quite clear that those who bless the seed of Abraham will themselves be blessed, but those who curse them will be judged. (Genesis 12.3) It is perfectly evident that both Methodists and Presbyterians, tragically now more influenced by worldly wisdom than biblical values, are under a curse of their own making. The worldwide blessing brought about by Methodist founder John Wesley’s bold proclamation of the gospel (along with his support for Israel) has been lost.

In his notes on Romans, Wesley wrote: “So many prophecies refer to this grand event (of the restoration of Israel) that it is surprising any Christian can doubt of it. And these are greatly confirmed by the wonderful preservation of the Jews as a distinct people to this day. When it is accomplished, it will be so strong a demonstration, both of the Old and New Testament revelation, as will doubtless convince many thousand Deists in countries nominally Christian.”6

Remember that he was writing this in the latter part of the 18th century, almost a quarter of a millennium ago, without the benefit of witnessing these very things taking place before his eyes. Yet in our generation we have been immensely privileged to watch God’s chosen people, after nearly 2,000 years of dispersion, returning home to their ancient land from every corner of the world.

The biblical prophets foretold all this – in fact half of all Old Testament prophecies relate to Israel’s restoration. Followers of Jesus, the Jew, ought to rejoice that, in fulfillment of ancient prophecies, his brothers in the flesh are back in the land. For the Scripture also makes clear that once they have all returned (which is still to happen), Jesus will reveal himself to the entire nation as the Messiah for whom they have long been waiting. And then he will return to rule and reign with all believers – both Jew and Gentile – who have bowed the knee before him.

Israel is not perfect, nor should we expect her to be. For the most part, Israelis are not yet following their Messiah, but Christians who claim to be disciples of Jesus should know better. We must love those whom God loves, including our enemies (Matthew 5.44). You who would boycott Israeli goods (which adversely affects Palestinians too as many rely on Israel for their employment), do you pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as the Bible commands? (Psalm 122.6)

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1. Jerusalem Post February 9 2016↩

2. I realize Cadbury has been taken over by a foreign company, now known as Mondelez, who are accused of UK tax evasion, but it is still a name that has given much prestige to the nation.↩

3. A Prophetic Property by Kelvin Crombie p61 published by the Israel Trust of the Anglican Church↩

4. Published by Doubleday, p254↩

5. Quakers were a radical Christian movement that suffered much opposition for their fervent devotion sometimes characterized by trembling – hence their nickname – under the influence of the Holy Spirit.↩

6. A Nation Called by God published by Love Never Fails, an umbrella group for organizations supporting Israel.↩

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Charles Gardner is author of Peace in Jerusalem, available from olivepresspublisher.com

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Int'l Campaign Underway to 'Blacken Israel's Name'

Int'l Campaign Underway to 

'Blacken Israel's Name'

By Julie Stahl and Chris Mitchell

CBN News Middle East Bureau

Friday, June 05, 2015

JERUSALEM, Israel -- What does the Presbyterian Church USA and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters have in common? They both support boycotting Israel, a sweeping movement that's trying to delegitimize the Jewish state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a great struggle and international campaign is being waged against his country to "blacken its name."

"It is not connected to our actions; it is connected to our very existence," Netanyahu said. "It does not matter what we do; it matters what we symbolize and what we are."

Just this week, the CEO of French mobile phone giant "Orange" said he'd cut ties with the Israeli operation company here, one of Israel's largest, as soon as possible.

Earlier this week, Britain's National Union of Students voted to boycott Israel and affiliate with the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement. The same group voted against a resolution last year condemning the terrorist actions of ISIS.

It's all part of BDS, whose goal is to punish Israel by encouraging artists, companies, academia, countries and even churches to boycott its products, divest from its companies and impose sanctions on the Jewish state.

Proponents of the movement claim it will help end what they perceive as injustices against the Palestinians. Critics believe BDS aims to much more.

BDS expert Eran Shayshon says the clear agenda is to tarnish Israel's reputation.

"The BDS movement doesn't say out loud that it is against Israel's right to exist; however, they do mention that they support the right of return, which everyone who understands something about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict understands what it means and this is the annihilation of the State of Israel," Shayshon told CBN News.

"What the BDS is trying to do is to create an anti-Israeli spirit of the times -- namely to negatively brand Israel and so to associate it with the former regime of South Africa," he explained. "Clearly such equation is false."

Will Roth, an Austrian-born Jew and CEO of the Israel, Europe Freedom Center, says the campaign has gone beyond words.

"When you go to certain areas, unfortunately, especially in Belgium and in Sweden, if you'll just have a yarmulke [Notes:Jewish skullcap] , not to say have some good word about Israel, there will be slurs upon slurs and usually they will be violent at the end," he told CBN News.

Roth says it's a fight that awaits him every day.

"When I went to talk at Marseilles University in France and the pro-Palestinian spokesperson just walked inside, very easily cheerfully, safely and I had to be guarded when I entered and someone also tried to stab me during the way up to the stadium," he recalled.

But while BDS is sweeping Europe, it is slower to take hold in the U.S. Roth says that's in part because Europeans become intoxicated by ideas while Americans tend to fight back.

The Presbyterian Church USA ended business connections in Israel, and the U.S. State Department boycotts cutting-edge cancer research at Israel's Ariel University because it's in Samaria -- or the West Bank.

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters openly criticizes artists who perform in Israel, but some like Eric Clapton, Dionne Warwick and Alan Parsons performed in Israel anyway.

American actress Scarlett Johanson faced protests for her endorsement of SodaStream, an Israel company with Jewish and Arab workers based in an Israeli settlement, and with Oxfam, a group fighting global poverty.

Her work with SodaStream was seen in a Super Bowl commercial.

"Like most actors, my real job is saving the world. Start with plain water, add bubbles, mix in the perfect flavor. Look soda that's better for you and all of us -- less sugar and less bottles," she says in the ad.

The commercial cost Johanson her relationship with Oxfam because its leaders felt her work with SodaStream furthered the poverty of the Palestinians.

According to Shayshon, Israel fights an uphill battle because the other side plays by different rules.

"While we try to explain our position and use facts, they do branding and this is a completely different field," he explained. "When they shoot from Gaza, we said, 'Well they started it ' and they shout, 'apartheid, apartheid.' There is a mismatch between our strategies and the responses and that's our problem. We don't understand the battlefield."

And in this battle, Roth says American Christians are among Israel's staunchest supporters.

34,000 Black Churches Break Ties With Presbyterian Church USA

 3/27/2015 ANTHONY EVANS  charisma news

More than 34,000 churches are leaving the Texas PCUSA over gay marriage. (Flickr/Creative Commons)

The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a faith-based coalition of 34,000 churches comprised of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African Americans has broken its fellowship with Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) following its recent vote to approve same-sex marriage.  

The Presbyterian General Assembly, the top legislative body of the PCUSA, voted last June to revise the constitutional language defining marriage. This arbitrary change of Holy Scripture is a flagrantly pretentious and illegitimate maneuver by a body that has no authority whatsoever to alter holy text.   

Rev. Anthony Evans, NBCI President noted: 

"NBCI and its membership base are simply standing on the Word of God within the mind of Christ. We urge our brother and sisters of the PCUSA to repent and be restored to fellowship." 

"PCUSA's manipulation represents a universal sin against the entire church and its members. With this action, PCUSA can no longer base its teachings on 2,000 years of Christian scripture and tradition, and call itself a Christian entity in the body of Christ.  It has forsaken its right by this single wrong act.  

"Apostle Paul warns us about this when he declared in Galatians 1:8 that there are those who will preach another Gospel. 

"For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him...For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 

"No church has the right to change the Word of God. By voting to redefine marriage PCUSA automatically forfeits Christ's saving grace. There is always redemption in the body of Christ through confession of faith and adhering to Holy Scripture.   

"In this case, PCUSA deliberately voted to change the Word of God and the interpretation of holy marriage between one man and one woman. This is why we must break fellowship with them and urge the entire Christendom to do so as well."