By Mariam Badalyan & Gayane Mkrtchyan

ArmeniaNow reporters

Every morning 69-year-old Albert Khashkhashyan opens a small ramshackle booth to spend his day. He is not rushing to return home, as no one is happy for his return. It is eight years that he is rejected by his family.

“I have a large family, but there is no one waiting for me at home. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have destroyed my family,” says Khashkhashyan.

The Khashkhashyans live in a four-room apartment in a suburb of Yerevan. A construction engineer by training, Khashkhashyan headed the construction of five flour-mills in Iran in the 1980s. Those were happy days for a father of four children.

His life turned shambles in 1992 when his elder daughter, Elen, became a Jehovah’s Witness. Gradually, she was joined by her two sisters, brother and mother.

“My heart aches because of my children’s delusions,” says Khashkhashyan. “My daughters have forgotten about everything – education, career, leisure, marriage. They spend days attending religious gatherings and preaching. And my son refuses to serve in the army... I find my children lost for the society.”

Albert Khashkhashyan considers himself a victim of Jehovah’s Witnesses religious organization, or ‘sect’, as he calls it.

When Armenia gained independence in the 1990s, citizens also gained the right to explore “alternative” religions. Some, like Jehovah’s Witness (and including Mormons) are a striking departure from the traditional Christianity for which Armenia is famous. Contrary beliefs, habits, practices, dogma, are met not only with suspicion but with fear and intolerance by those who see the “sects” as a threat to the national religion – and the national character.

Currently, there are 56 religious organizations registered in Armenia. They represent 12 religious trends, out of which 8 are Christian confessions: Apostolic, Catholic, Russian Orthodox, Evangelical, Baptists, Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Pentecostals. Moonies and Mormons in Armenia are not registered as a religious organization.

Freedom of religion has become a hot topic in Armenia within the past year. In the fall of 2004 the registration of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a religious organization with 22,000 members in Armenia, which had been denied registration for more than ten years, was received differently.

Despite some discriminatory provisions in the new law on alternative service (link to Vahan’s story?) international organizations and some NGOs considered the registration of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a big step forward on the way towards establishment of a democratic society.

The same fact, however, aroused the frustration of many citizens and even some local NGOs. Numerous TV, radio programs, newspaper articles periodically highlight the problems of religious rights.

The Center for the Rehabilitation and Help to Victims of Decadent Sects NGO, the Association for the Protection of Individual and Family, as well as a public committee consisting of 44 youth organizations led by the Republican Party’s youth division find addressing the problem critical for society.

Currently, courts are considering seven complaints that relate to property disputes. People come alleging that a sectarian family member had sold a common property and gave the money to the organization he or she attends without considering the will of other family members. Albert Khashkhashyan has a similar claim against his wife, who sold an apartment belonging to the family, which Khashkashyan inherited from his grandmother. The wife, he says, gave most of the money to the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization.

“At stake is the Armenian statehood, physical and mental health of the society, unity of families,” declares the head of the Republican Party’s youth division and National Assembly member Armen Ashotyan.

“If a military dodger throws himself out of the balcony on the 8th floor and his parents, at the dismal scene of their boy’s smashed body, say it was Jehovah’s will, whose rights is the sect violating? Should the state ignore such kind of cases?” says lawyer Ruzanna Ter-Vardanyan, who currently is involved in a civil case dealing with a deprivation of maternity rights of a Jehovah’s Witness.

MP Ashotyan considers the religious provisions of the ‘sects’ that put mental and physical health of people at risk to be particularly dangerous. A doctor by training and occupation Ashotyan says he has witnessed numerous cases in hospitals when a patient is near death, but his family did not allow life-saving blood transfusion for religious reasons. (According to Jehovah’s Witnesses interpretation of the Bible, blood transfusion is a sin as it equals to the biblical ban “to eat meat with its blood”. Since 1961 when this interpretation was declared by Jehovah’s Witnesses, many members of their organization worldwide, including children, died. Recently, under external pressure they had to modify this doctrine and now allow blood transfusion, but it is allowed only among their members. )

According to Ashotyan many family arguments occur on the ground of religious “intolerance”, which weaken the society.

Head of Jehovah’s Witnesses religious organization Hrach Keshishyan denies all accusations: “How can a philosophy that preaches tolerance sow discord? I think the reasons are different, but people link them to the religion.

“Our name is often speculated upon,” he says. “But a Jehovah’s Witness neither steals, nor embezzles. Can there be a better patriotism than this?.”

“Often a woman’s husband is against her visits and there emerges the problem of the family’s destruction,” says pastor Karen Khachatryan. “In similar cases, we advise our members to preserve family peace and leave the church community. Since 2000 Karen is the founding Pastor of “Rema” Pentecostal Church.

Instead, Pastor Karen asserts, that their organization, like any other non-apostolic religious organization in Armenia, is discriminated against.

“If you periodically attend a gathering to read the Bible with a non-Apostolic group, you are a ‘sectarian’; people will point at you,” Pastor Karen says. “But if you attend the Apostolic church you are a Christian.”

Apostolic church priest Ghevond Mayilyan, the head of the Christian education center of the Holy See of St. Echmiadzin claims that religious organizations like Jehovah’s Witnesses or Rema, use suspicious methods to attract and keep members.

Pastor Khachatryan says his church preaches family values

Pastor Khachatryan says his church preaches family values

“They use the ‘bombardment of love’ to attract a person,” Fr. Ghevond says. “Treating a man with love and giving him/her social aid they tie him/her to themselves. Central bodies of many financially powerful totalitarian sects make large investments in Armenia for attracting even more members. What is it done for?.”

Hrach Keshishyan claims Jehovah’s Witnesses do not use methods other than the ones by the Apostolic church, which serve the same goal – to sow the best qualities in a person. Members of their organization are honest and law-abiding.

“The cultivation of externally safe and even praiseworthy qualities in a person contains grave risks,” MP Ashotyan is convinced. “Even the sectarian pastors themselves do not know why it is done. In reality it has one aim – to make the people governable. There is danger for the statehood, health of the society and unity of families.”

Armen Ashotyan thinks a well-coordinated approach is needed to make room for misunderstood beliefs.

“The state, church and society must struggle together,” he says.

Referent of the Department for Religion and National Minorities Affairs of the RA Government staff Vardan Astsatryan says the state should not become over involved in controlling the religious organizations. The society itself must be able to give its own assessments and fight with acceptable methods.

Astsatryan says that currently, the only control that the state has over religious organizations is through their registration, which would enable it to operate freely, for example rent premises, invite guests from abroad, publish newspapers, etc.

“Only by registering a religious organization we will bring it to the legislative field,” says Astsatryan. “And if it avoids registration, then it has something to hide.”

Despite the advantages offered by registration, there are organizations in Armenia, which prefer to stay out of the legislative field. According to the head of the Center for the Rehabilitation and Help to Victims of Decadent Sects Amaryan some 10 organizations including Satanists, Scientologists, Transcendentalists exist in Armenia, but are not registered.

“Try to find a person openly declaring he or she is a Satanist, whereas the place they gather in Yerevan is commonly known. Rituals of Satanists contain dangerous elements, there is no doubt they are anti-humane. Naturally, they will not get registered in Armenia,” says Amaryan. “Other trends such as scientologists or transcendentalists do not consider themselves to be a religion. However, their activities are related to the spiritual field and should be controlled as well.”

The state does not even count the number of members of religious organizations absolutely relying on the data submitted by religious organizations, which according to Astsatryan may be faked for different reasons.

“The number may be presented as large if the organization wants to get funds from abroad,” says Astsatryan. “And, on the contrary, it can be presented as small, if they feel pressured in the country.”

Nevertheless, Astsatryan thinks this approach is rather proportionate with the rights of the religious organizations.

Astsatryan admits, however, there are shortcomings in the legislation.

“Since in 1991 (when the Law on the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations was adopted) the religious diversity was a new phenomenon for our society, it didn’t have time to give assessment to it,” Astsatryan explains.

One of the shortcomings of the current law according to Astsatryan is that although it foresees bans for violations, it does not give its legal consequences, that is, does not stipulate punishment for them (whether administrative or of other nature). In these cases a corresponding body – the prosecutor’s office, contents itself with only a warning.

Currently, a group of experts work on a new law, which involves members of NGOs and among them is the Helsinki Committee in Armenia.

The chairman of Helsinki Committee Avetik Ishkhanyan, finds that in the new law first of all the monopoly of the Armenian Apostolic church and discrimination towards other religious organizations must be abolished.

“There is no definition to the word proselytism,” Ishkhanyan says, “which is banned by the current law. The absence of definition leads to ambiguities, which for sure work not on the side of religious organizations other than the Apostolic church.”

Notwithstanding with what Ashotyan and Amaryan claim, Helsinki Committee, an international non-governmental organization in Armenia, claims that according to the complaints they receive, it is the religious organizations that mostly complain of rights violations.

The Helsinki Committee receives several serious complaints each year from religious organizations during a year. Among them are discriminations at workplace, humiliation during alternative service, beatings during preaching, and torture during forced military service.

However, although not excluding that serious violations by religious organizations might have taken place, the chairman says the Committee has received only one complaint against a religious organization so far.

“A man came saying that his wife – a Jehovah’s witness – has taken their children abroad,” Ishkhanyan recalls. “He blamed the religious organization for the breakup of the family. We were ready to help him, but he never came back again.”

Ishkhanyan says the field needs serious expertise and research.

“So far we have rumors and a couple of journalistic articles, but no serious research. Whereas, without an expert’s assessment there is a fear to appear with even more bans on the right to freedom of religion in the new law.”

The last prophecy letter by Michael

This letter is dedicated to all Christians

Our time here is getting short. Therefore, I've decided to construct one final outline of prophetic events. These prophetic events, which I've been writing about and debating for over two decades, are now heading towards a conclusion. Therefore, it is important that this letters purpose be understood. This letter is an interpretation and will move fairly fast with limited explanation. I hope it is understandable to all.

Since Christianity began, believers have always been taught to have faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, Hebrews 11:1. It has always been my thought that if the Bible was true faith would eventually become reality. In other words, prophecies that were written in a vague manner would start to become apparent and faith would become visible. An example of this would be Noah's Ark. If we could see the Ark upon a mountain then something we learned as faith would become a reality. Reality is one step higher than Faith. Short of seeing God, which we cannot do until we die, this is as good as it gets for a believer. Therefore, this is what I call, "Our Noah's Ark". Our Noah's Ark is prophecy fulfilled in plain view. This now becomes something seen, instead of faith in something unseen. Better said, some of the prophecies of Revelation are finally becoming discernible, which suggests a conclusion. The two most important items that must be derived from this narrative are as follows. If these prophecies which were written centuries ago are now happening, we know two things. One, that the author of those prophecies was God; and two, that the religion he brought was true. Therefore, all other religions are false. I'll say that again. There is only one God and he brought only one way to Heaven. Any other way must become false and will lead to the second death, which is the death of the soul. Let's get started.

Note: not all verses are exact quotes. Some are paraphrased.

Rev. 13:1 - The beast with seven heads and ten horns.

The seven heads are seven nations. The ten horns are ten kings. The beast is a group of nations that will wage war or the leader of those nations. Literally, it is Israel and the Muslim nations that surround her. This beast was born when Israel received her independence in 1948. This beast though, as stated in Rev. 13:1, is actually Israel at a specific time in her history. It denotes the Oslo Accords of 1993 and the beginning of land for peace. This agreement lasted seven years and ended in September 2000 with the start of the second intifada. This brings us to those three extra kings who the beast subdues in Daniel. These kings were Israeli Prime Ministers and all served during this seven year time frame. Arafat was known to have boasted that he affected the elections in Israel three times through terror. Daniel 9:27 says he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. The covenant began with the agreement between Yasser Arafat and Prime Minister Rabin. It is also known as Daniel's 70th week. In Hebrew, the word many is written Rab.

Rev. 13:3- The beasts deadly head wound.

Head is a nation. It is similar to the heads of Rev 13:1, only singular. The beast's head (nation) was wounded in 1967 and is now being healed through the Oslo Accords.

Rev. 13:4- And they worshipped the dragon. Who is able to make war with him?

Islam is a false religion. The dragon is Satan. As long as they aren't worshipping Christ they are worshipping Satan. Who is able to make war with him refers to the difficulty of fighting a terrorist enemy. In other words, they are not really an army. A suicide bomber is almost impossible to defend against.

Rev. 13:5- he was able to continue 42 months.

Arafat continued for 42 months during the Oslo Accords before terror finally caused the Israelis to stop giving into his demands. The last 42 months of those seven years were not nearly as productive for him. This was during the term of Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister from 1996 to 1999.

Rev. 13:7- power was given him over all kindreds and nations.

Arafat had power over all peoples of the Earth in the United Nations. All nations wanted Israel to give back lands won in the 1967 war. Votes in the U.N. are always one-sided in favor of the Palestinians.

Rev. 13:10- this is a parable. Those who lead into captivity will be taken captive. Those who kill with the sword shall be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and faith of the saints.

Translation- If you lead others to false Gods you will be taken captive by those Gods. If you kill with the sword, which the Lord is the two-edged sword or better said the Word of God , you will be killed with the sword. In other words, believers will be taken by the Lord. This is the faith of the saints.

Rev. 13:11- and I beheld another beast coming up out of the Earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

This second beast has two horns. The horns are kings. Therefore, this second beast is a country with two kings. This is the Palestinian Authority after Hamas was elected and brought into the Unity Government in 2006.

Rev. 13:12- And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

Hamas exercised all the power of the previous PA government because they were now an equal partner in the Government. Also, the leader of Hamas caused them to worship or honor the first beast (Mahmoud Abbas and the PA) because he would not honor the first beast. The first beast was the PA without Hamas as a member. The image of the beast is what the Government of Mahmoud Abbas represented. Verse 12 does not mention the image yet, we are just informed that he caused them to worship the first beast. Verse 14 and 15 gives the details of how that worshipping or honor was to commence. An image was created of the first beast that he (the false prophet) caused to be honored. This image of the beast is three items; the recognition of Israel, the honoring of all prior Palestinian agreements, and a renunciation of terror.

Rev. 13:13- "And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the Earth in the sight of men". What is the great wonder that he does in the sight of men?????

The answer is Hamas or Palestinian rocket fire on the cities of Sderot and Ashkelon.

Rev. 13:15- And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast, should be killed.

Hamas gave life unto the image of the beast. Why? Because Hamas would not honor the image themselves. In other words, if Hamas agreed with the image it would never have been an issue. It was born from their disagreement. Therefore, they gave it life. Another way to say it is they caused it to be or exist.

Rev. 13:16- "and he caused all both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or their foreheads:

Rev. 13:17- And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Rev.13:18- Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding, count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man, and his number is, six hundred threescore and six."

These last three verses all refer to the beast (Mahmoud Abbas). If you were to think of it as a time line, it drops back in time a few years. Verse 16 is the election of Mahmoud Abbas as the President of the PA Government after the death of Yasser Arafat. All voters received an indelible ink mark on their hands so they could not vote twice. This was the Mark. It says in verse 17 no one could buy and sell unless they had the mark, the name, or the number of the beast. The number of the beast happened on June 16, 2006. This was the date that a new program was established that allowed Mahmoud Abbas to receive funds to pay the salaries of his people. This program was called the Temporary International Mechanism. All salaries passed through the office of Mahmoud Abbas. Therefore, if you were a supporter of his and on his payroll you got paid. Hamas did not receive salaries. Hamas also did not receive the mark of Mahmoud Abbas. They boycotted the PA elections for President on Jan. 9, 2005.

I can't do much better than that. This is why this is my last letter. There is nothing more for me to say. Now all that's left is for the final war to start. I believe that will happen very soon. This is Our Noah's Ark. Michael aka Ephraim

Bible that Survived the Genocide

In this video Collections Curator, Gary Lind-Sinanian walks through our Genocide exhibit to talk about one of the most precious objects from this exhibit. It is a bible from 1817 that was acquired from Syria and donated to the Museum by Arthur T. Grigorian. A shepherd's dog found it buried and after specialist Dr. Davit Ghazaryan from the Matenadaran saw it he was able to provide some us with further details. The “Treasures from Our Collection” video series is intended to share items from our collection that are not on display. It is sponsored by a generous donation from Michele Kolligian, President of the Museum’s Board of Trustees. Don't forget, membership supports our mission to share Armenia's history and culture with the world: https://www.armenianmuseum.org/member...

History
It was written in 1498 in Aspisnak village, Kajberunik province of Van (322 sheets, 18 x 13 cm), pen: priest Barsegh [1] , commissioned by prince Turvanda. The Gospel is illustrated with 3 portraits ( Matthew , Mark and John and Prochorus), with border decorations, half-table-name pages. The cover is made of leather-bound cardboard with a silver bas-relief mirror, the lining is made of paper and silk.

In 1603-1604, the family of Ter Grigor, one of the forcibly displaced by Shah Abbas, moved the Gospel to Shurishkan village (hence the name) in Peria province of Persia, St. Barsegh Kesaratsi Monastery, where it remained for 370 years [2] . In 1971, the heirs of the Gospel, Nerses and Matevos Tsarukyan, repatriated and presented "Shurshkan's Gospel" to Matenadaran (hand. № 10599).

Every year since 2002, on the Sunday following Holy Easter, "Gospel of Shurishkan" is taken from Matenadaran to Saint Gevorg Church in Mughnu , so that the pilgrims can communicate with the miraculous power of the Gospel [

Gospel of Shurishkan
Type: handwriting
date 1498
Item: parchment
For 10599
Collection Matenadaran
Location: Yerevan

Չարսանջակի Ավետարանն ընդօրինակվել է 1471 թ․ Երուսաղեմում, ապա տարվել է Արևմտյան Հայաստան և պահվել Չարսանջակ նահանգի Կոտառիչ գյուղի Սուրբ Գեւորգ եկեղեցում։ Բուժիչ հատկությունների և գերբնական զորության համար ձեռագիրը կոչվել է «հրաշազարդ», «հրաշագործ», «չարխափան»։ Արծաթյա կրկնակազմով, չորս ավետարանիչների ու Քրիստոսի խաչելությամբ պատկերված Ավետարանը աղոթքի առարկա էր ինչպես տարածաշրջանում ապրող քրիստոնյա հայերի, այնպես էլ այլադավանների համար:

Բազմաթիվ ձեռագրերի նման, հետաքրքիր է նաև Չարսանջակի Ավետարանի փրկության պատմությունը։ Դադայանների ընտանիքը, որ հետագայում ընծայաբերեց Ավետարանը Մատենադարանին, ապրում էր Արեւմտյան Հայաստանի Լուսատարիչ գյուղում։ Երբ սկսվում է հայոց ցեղասպանությունը, տիկին Եղիսան հարսների և թոռների հետ գաղթում է Արեւելյան Հայաստան` Երևան, և սկսում է կամավոր աշխատել Երևանի հիվանդանոցներից մեկում։ Այնտեղ նա ծանոթանում է Չարսանջակ գյուղից գաղթած մի հիվանդի հետ։ Իմանալով իր վիճակի ծանրության մասին` հիվանդը տիկին Եղիսային է հանձնում Սուրբ Գևորգ եկեղեցուց բերված և փրկված Ավետարանը։ Հիվանդը, ցավոք, մահանում է, և Ավետարանը մնում է տիկին Եղիսայի մոտ։ Վերջինս գաղթում է Մարսել, ապա՝ ԱՄՆ, իր որդու՝ Հովհաննեսի մոտ։ Եղիսայի և Հովհաննեսի մահից հետո Հովհաննեսի կինը` Արաքսին, տեղափոխվում է Լոս Անջելես և իր հետ է տանում նաև Ավետարանը։ Արաքսիի մահից հետո նրա երեխաները՝ Հելեն և Հրայր Դադայանները, 2017 թ. միաձայն որոշում են կայացնում և սրբությամբ պահված Ավետարանը հանձնում են Մաշտոցյան Մատենադարանին։

Saint Blaise 4th c. (Armenian : Sourb Barsegh) In Christian legend, bishop, patron saint of physicians, wax chandlers, and wool combers. Invoked against throat infections. Feast, 3 February.

Blaise was a physician before he became a bishop in Armenia. He studied philosophy in his youth, was a doctor in Sebaste in Armenia, the city of his birth, and exercised his art with miraculous ability, good-will, and piety. When the bishop of the city died, he was chosen to succeed him, with the acclamation of all the people. His holiness was manifest through many miracles: from all around, people came to him to find cures for their spirit and their body; even wild animals came in herds to receive his blessing. He suffered beheading after his flesh was torn with iron combs used for carding wool. One legend tells that while the bishop was in prison awaiting his martyrdom, he miraculously cured a little boy who nearly died because a fish

During the Middle Ages, St. Blaise was one of the most popular saints. In central Europe and in Latin countries people are still given pan bendito (St. Blaise sticks), which they eat when they have a sore throat. One of the most popular customs of the Roman church is the blessing of throats, held on St. Blaise’s feast day. A priest holds crossed candles against the head or throat of a person, saying: “Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may the Lord free you from evils of the throat and from any other evil.” In certain parts of Italy priests touch the throats with a wick that has been dipped into blessed oil. Throughout Europe many places and churches ware named after him. In Cornwall UK the village of St Blazey derives from his name, where the parish church is still dedicated to Saint Blaise. The council of Oxford in 1222 forbade all work on his festival. There is a St. Blaise’s Well in Bromley, Kent (UK) where the water was considered to have medicinal virtues. Many German churches, including the former Abbey of St. Blasius in the Black Forest and the church of Balve are dedicated to Saint Blaise/Blasius. In Italy he is known as San Biagio. In Spanish-speaking countries, he is known as San Blas, and has lent his name to many places (see San Blas).Saint Blaise’s remains rest at the Basilica over the town of Maratea (Italy), shipwrecked there during Leo III the Isaurian’s iconoclastic persecutions.

https://www.peopleofar.com/2012/12/02/saint-blaise/

Saint Blaise ~ Is celebrated ~ as a Saint ~ the world over ~ it seems ~ there is even a ~ there is even a ~ High School ~ in Mumbai ~ Churches named for him in Europe ~ had my throat blessed in here in the U.S. on St. Blaise day in Catholic Church ~ but until today ~ I had no idea ~ St. Blaise is our very own Sourb Barsegh ~ in the ~ Armenian Orthodox Church ```

Did you ```

Saint Blaise Abby Black Forest ```

He Sourb Barsegh is the Patron Saint in many countries ``` Take time to look for him ```

HOLY SEPULCHRE PLANS FIRST RENOVATION IN GENERATIONS Various sects connected to the historic Jerusalem church, fraught with long-standing conflict, have agreed that renovations are necessary at the site where many believe Jesus was buried.

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The first ceremonies in the Forty Martyrs Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo after restoration will be held in March-April, RIA Novosti reported.

The Church has been destroyed by the Islamic State militants in April 2015.

“Large-scale works have been carried out. We had to completely reconstruct the destroyed corridor. We have used the ancient stones which were maintained, collected them and put on the new ones. This was the most difficult work”, engineer Gabris Tamasyan said.

The restoration works will be completed soon. New doors, windows and benches have already been installed in the Cathedral.

The Church is being restored by the donations of the believer Armenian community of Aleppo.

Artsakh soldier killed

STEPANAKERT—A Private of the Artsakh Defense Army Narek Harutyunyan (b. 1998) was killed as a result of shooting from the Azerbaijani side at about 2:20 p.m. Monday, the Artsakh Defense Ministry reported.

Prayers for this Solider yev all our boys on the front ```

02.06.2006 17:17 GMT+04:00 Print version Send to mail In Russian In Armenian

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Free Agia Sophia Council in America” organizations has launched an international campaign to make St. Sophia an Orthodox Church again, American politician of Greek origin Chris Spiru stated a press conference in Manhattan. He presented the plan of the organization and emphasized that the matter concerns an international movement initiated in the U.S. which purposes the objective to retransform the Great Church of Saint Sophia in Constantinople into a Cathedral for all Orthodox believers.

He said the Turkish government calls and uses the Church as a museum, organizes trade exhibitions, concerts and fashion shows in it. Sacrilege and desecration is taking place. We will use all the juridical and religious methods to achieve our goal,” Spiru underscored. In his words, simultaneously a collection of signatures will be organized. “Muslims grew indignant over the caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. We assert our right to pray in the church, which is a symbol for all Orthodox believers. I think, the moment when Turkey is striving to join the European Union is quite appropriate for it,” Mr. Spiru said, reported Greek.ru.

This letter is dedicated to all Christians.

The following letter is a summary of Revelation 13. Its purpose is to show the method used in finding the conclusions which have been stated. Nothing new has been added from my previous letters. It is more of a compilation of them all. This writing is the same material in different words. The Bible uses this same method of explanation. There are four Gospels. In each you see a different view of the same material. This can be beneficial because the meaning becomes more exact. Although, if this is a first time reader, then this will all be news to you. With that in mind, here we go.

The first thing that should be addressed when doing any study of Bible prophecy is what questions do I intend to answer. Some of these questions can seem a little simplistic, but their answers are much more complicated. In my studies there were only a few questions that I saw as needing an answer. My questions were very simple. First, who is this individual who is identified by the number 666? Second, who is the false prophet and how does he make the whole world worship the beast whose number is 666. Another question has to do with these same individuals. Could these two individuals be the same person, or for that matter Satan himself? Where is Satan during all this? That last question is very important. It actually goes straight to the answer of all the questions. Finally, when would someone expect to see these individuals on the Earth? Literally, what time frame should I see them? Those are the questions. The answers are much more involved.

This narrative will attempt to show how the answers are figured out. These answers can be seen from events that happen in the nightly news. This leads me to a key, which most of us know, but most of us forget. The Bible is a history book. Some events have happened, while some are waiting to happen. It is the ones that have not happened that we are most concerned with. Here is another key. By the way, these keys I speak of are keys to understanding. The Lord spoke in parables. The reason he gave was that it was for some to know the mysteries of God, while it was for some to know not. In hearing, they do not hear. In seeing, they do not see. I compare it to telling the truth, while hiding it at the same time. Many of the parables that the Lord spoke he immediately gave an answer to. He showed how he used certain symbols and words to describe subjects and then gave their meanings. Now for the punch line. The Lord also spoke in parables that he did not identify. These parables go straight to the hidden meaning of these end times. Another key is word substitution. An example of this is a pretty well-known item from Revelation. This word substitution deals with Revelation 13:1. The beast has seven heads and ten horns. In Revelation 17 those heads and horns are defined. The heads are identified as mountains, while the horns are identified as kings. This changes the whole picture of what the beast is symbolically to what it is literally. Now Rev.13:1 can be read as follows with just the items discussed thus far. And I saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven mountains and ten kings. That is a simple and easy word substitution. Know that this will happen many times throughout the Bible.

Now, getting back to the questions. The question is, where is Satan? If this question can be answered, you will have eliminated some others. Some prophecy teachers believe that Satan is the beast, or that Satan is the false prophet, which is misleading and puts a stumbling block square in the road to a proper interpretation. I almost always get this question. How can you know who the beast is when he cannot be revealed? 2nd Thess. Chapter 2 states that he cannot be revealed, until something is removed first. Most scholars have this part right. That is a picture of the Rapture. What they have wrong is that Satan and the beast are not the same individual. Satan cannot be revealed until after the rapture, but he is not the beast. Therefore, I can identify the beast and his false prophet. People say prove it. So I did. I told them how to understand using the keys that I have mentioned. Revelation 13 is a parable, but God is not giving the definition, or the explanation. This one is for us to figure out. Ok, so where is Satan? In the book of Job, we get a view of Satan's abilities. In one scene, he is discussing with God about Job. Question, where is God? He is in heaven. Also, in his conversation with God Satan is talking as if he knows and has seen Job. God declares that he can do whatever he wants to Job, but he was not allowed to kill him. Now we know something else about Satan. He also has access to the Earth, and can affect peoples lives. So, it appears that Satan can be everywhere he wants to be, on Earth or in heaven. We know Satan and his angels will be cast out of heaven as per Revelation 12. This would further the idea that he is now in heaven. We also see Satan one other time, when he tempted Christ during his time on Earth. It says that he was taken to the wilderness to be tempted of Satan? Most people, and rightly so, have thought the wilderness to be a place on Earth, but this is a parable I believe. The Lord was in the wilderness and was tempted by Satan, but the wilderness is in heaven. This parable is read in Isaiah 35. It is the wilderness and the solitary place where the redeemed of the Lord walk. So, this last item being the most hard to prove, suffice it to say, that when Rev.12 says Satan will be cast out, he must be there in heaven to be cast out. Alright, now we can answer a couple questions. One, Satan is himself, and he is in heaven. Therefore, he is not the beast or the false prophet. These three work together, but each has his own identity.

Now to dissect Revelation 13. As I have already stated, Revelation 13 is a word substitution parable. The seven heads are seven mountains and the ten horns are ten kings. Ok, we know from this description that the beast as described is a group of possibly ten countries. This brings me to another point. There are three definitions for the beast in Revelation 13. The first is a group of countries rising up out of the sea. The second is in Rev.13:11 and is a beast with two horns (kings). Remember horns are kings as per Rev. 17. Finally, there is a beast who is identified by the number 666. It is this last beast that causes all to recieve a mark and that no man can buy and sell save he who has the mark, his number, or his name. There are three items here. Nowhere does it say that the mark is the number 666. This might have been a good guess 20 yrs. ago , but it is pretty hard to believe. Imagine people running around with a mark of 666 on their right hands. It sounds like a cartoon, but this is what the prophecy teachers want you to believe. Ok, another problem that sounds like a cartoon is the interpretation of the word "all." They want you to believe that no man could buy or sell if they did not worship the beast and take his mark. Interpreting the word "all" to mean everyone in the world. This is not the case. For one, we know that the beast is made up of only possibly ten countries. Everyone in this world lives in roughly 190 countries. I don't think we could possibly mean everyone. How about, all of those people concerned with the mark. Also, how do you cause all people concerned to receive a mark, and why? The most obvious way to mark everyone is at the voting booth. All people, rich and poor, small and great, or free and bond are potential voters. So, Mahmoud Abbas was elected president of the Palestinian Authority, and in the process all voters received an indelible ink mark on their right hands. This mark was to prevent double voting and corruption in the election. Ok, we have a mark. It is not 666. At this point he fits the part, but not completely. Still, there is no ready identification of 666 concerning him. This election was in January 2005.

Back to Rev.13. We have seven mountains and ten kings. Prophecy teachers want us to believe that a city with seven mountains is the seat of the antichrist and he rules with ten nations. Their logical conclusion was the Europe Union and the Vatican. This started the revived Roman empire theory. This theory has been around since the reformation. It is hard to believe this charade has gone on so long. Teachers are still preaching the Revived Roman Empire. This theory had some validity before the twentieth century and now has to be eliminated. None of these teachers could have predicted the fall of the Ottoman Empire and its division into so many separate sovereign nations. Back to our word substitution. There is an interesting item here concerning the word mountains in scripture. The word mountains can have two meanings. It can be either a mountain range, or a nation. This is the hardest part of this whole exercise, trying to figure out what mountains are describing. Teachers will have you believe it is a city with seven mountains. In actual fact, mountains here are referring to nations. This also pertains to the head wound. The wound was not a literal head wound at all, but was a nation that was wounded. The beast's head or nation was wounded and was healed. This is the Palestinian Authority after the beginning of the Oslo Accords. The land that Israel possessed was now being given back to the Palestinians and the beast's nation is being healed. Ok, so now I have seven nations and ten kings, Rev.13:1. Why do I have three more kings than nations? It seems I have a king for each nation, but three left over. In Daniel in says the beast subdued three kings. These three kings don't necessarily have to be from different countries. It seems so, but is not expressly mentioned. It is another parable. The three kings who were subdued by the beast were Israeli Prime Ministers. These three Prime Ministers all served during the seven years of the Oslo Accords and were voted out of office because of terror perpetrated during Yasser Arafat's rule. Now, I am down to seven nations. These seven nations will wage war. I can easily see seven nations that will wage war here very soon; Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Iran and the Palestinian Authority or Iraq, and there opponent Israel. This is exactly the same beast that is presented in Rev.17, just in a slightly different appearance. In Rev. 17, five nations attacked Israel and five fell, Israel was and the one that was, and the one that came later was the Palestinian Authority. That was a picture of Israel's war of Independence. Literally, this was the beast being born. The war in 1967 is the beast rising up out of the sea in Rev.13:1. It was the unresolved issues of this conflict that resulted in the Oslo Accords of 1993. This seven year peace treaty was confirmed by Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat.

Now, there is another beast in Rev.13:11. This beast has two horns or kings. This is a picture of the Palestinian Authority after the elections of January 2006. This is when Hamas ran in the elections and won a majority in parliament. Now the P.A. was a country with two kings. Abbas was the President and Ismail Haniyeh was the Prime Minister. Here is where the problem with money came about. Western Nations did not want to donate money to a known terrorist organization so looked for a way they could still fund Abbas's P.A., but not let any money get to Hamas. This is when the number 666 identified an individual. The temporary international mechanism was adopted on June 16, 2006. This program allowed Western Nations to donate funds directly to Abbas, while bypassing Hamas. If you were a member of Fatah, or on Abbas's payroll you got paid. This is how the people were allowed to buy and sell. They received salaries, whereas before the mechanism, they had no way of getting paid from the Govenment. Hamas did not recieve salaries. Also, Hamas did not recieve the mark of the beast. They boycotted the elections for President in Jan. 2005.

It is more obvious who is being talked about the closer you get to the end.

In conclusion, to my three beast definitions. Mahmoud Abbas fits all three definitions. He was a member of the P.A. when it was formed. He took over from Yasser Arafat after his death. He was one of the two kings of the second beast in Rev.13:11. Lastly, he is the one identified by the number 666, which could have been Arafat had he lived.

Now, concerning the the false prophet. The following four verses below all refer to the false prophet, Ismail Haniyeh.

Rev.13:11- and I beheld another beast coming up out of the Earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Rev.13:12- And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

Rev.13:13- "And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the Earth in the sight of men".

Rev.13:15- And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast, should be killed.

Hamas exercised all the power of the first beast (Abbas's P.A.) because they were now an equal partner in the Government. Also, the leader of Hamas caused them to worship or honor the first beast because Hamas would not honor the first beast. The first beast was the PA without Hamas as a member. The image of the beast is what the Government of Mahmoud Abbas represented. Verse 12 does not mention the image yet, we are just informed that the false prophet caused them to worship the first beast. Verse 14 and 15 gives the details of how that worshipping or honor was to commence. An image was created of the first beast that he (the false prophet) caused to be honored. This image of the beast is three items; the recognition of Israel, the honoring of all prior Palestinian agreements, and a renunciation of terror.

The last question I think that needs addressed is how do you know the timing is right? Meaning, there have been so many translations, how do you know that this one is correct? This is a question I always get asked. The answer, in my mind, is sort of a mix between two different prophecies. The first is the seven day prophecy as recorded in Genesis. It is a similtude between this and the amount of recorded time that has already happened on Earth. In the book of Peter, God says one day to him is as a thousand years. If that idea is applied to the Genesis creation, everyday that God created something one thousand years passed. Finally, on the last day he rested from his work, and his rest was one thousand years or one of God's days. This was one full week or 7000 years. After God's rest he started his work again, and he created Adam. Starting with Adam, it was approximately 4000 years to the time of Christ. Also, we know that Christ was here roughly 2000 years ago. If God was to be consistant with his one week schedule, then we could expect his day of rest to fall somewhere after the year two thousand. 4000 plus 2000 is six days and on the seventh he rested for one thousand years. This is not an exact estimate, but it can put you in the right ballpark when searching for the correct timing of Revelation. This is the estimate. The next item is more exact. Daniel 9:27 says that he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. Many in Hebrew is Rab. This was a covenant confirmed with Yitzhak Rabin. It was the beginning of land for peace, or the Oslo Accords. When you see this agreement happen you should be aware that this prophecy will last seven years. There is only one problem with this item. Prior to it happening, everyone thought that the end of the seventh year of the agreement God would return and begin his rest. Well, that did not happen. The reason was a logical misinterpretation. It just mentions that this agreement must occur along with the prophecies mentioned, not that they would all happen and end on the last day of the seventh year. This has thrown everyone watching offtrack for a time. Although, this was not such a terrible mistake if the watcher could see the right answer and get his, or her perspective back. When you have these two items coinciding at the expected time, then you know Revelation can be interpreted with accuracy. The events should start happening, as they have, as I have recorded in this letter.

May God bless all who read this letter.

Michae1

One thing the Hamshen issue made very clear, is that Armenian don't have a binding world-view, national mission of any kind, or, in short, "reason for existing" other than the basic biological imperative of survival. Considered in this abridged essay is Aram Hamparian's 2011 "We're All Armenians", whether or not the Christian religion inspired Armenian art; the influence of Armenian art on Renaissance Italy; the evils of atheism; and because Armenians love historical obscurities, ARMENIANS AT TROY!!! Not included in the abridged version is a discussion on the characteristics of the Armenian race, ultimately in relation to the idea of tseghagron, and religion and its importance to the state, etc. etc.

For your approval and comment:

http://radiotransmittinginasnowstorm.blogspot.com/2014/10/armenians-have-no-raison-detre-as.html

On July 27, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the re-consecration of the Holy Mother of God Church of the Aragats village was offered by His Grace Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, Primate of the Aragatsotn Diocese. Benefactor of the church was Mr. Aghvan Karapetyan.

Եկեղեցու վերաօծում Արագած գյուղում

Հուլիսի 27-ին՝ Վարդավառի տոնին, Արագածոտնի թեմի առաջնորդ գերաշնորհ Տ. Մկրտիչ եպս. Պռոշյանի ձեռամբ, վերաօծվեց Արագած գյուղի Սբ. Աստվածածին եկեղեցին: Եկեղեցու բարերարը Աղվան Կարապետյանն է:

The consecration of the Holy Mother of God Church of Norabats village in the Ararat region was offered by His Eminence Archbishop Navasard Kjoyan, Vicar of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese. Mr. Serj Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia was in attendance for the ceremony. Benefactor of the church is the Galustyan family of Norabats.

Օծվեց Նորաբացի Ս. Աստվածածին եկեղեցին

Արարատյան հայրապետական թեմի առաջնորդական փոխանորդ գերաշնորհ Տ. Նավասարդ արք. Կճոյանի ձեռամբ օծվեց Արարատի մարզի Նորաբաց գյուղի Ս. Աստվածածին եկեղեցին: Օծման արարողությանը ներկա էր նաեւ ՀՀ նախագահ տիար Սերժ Սարգսյանը: Եկեղեցու բարերարը նույն գյուղի Գալստյան ընտանիքն է:

Thursday, May 8th, 2014

«Կյանքի խոսքի» հետևորդների հոսք` Հայ Առաքելական եկեղեցի

Ter Esayi
Երբ «Կյանքի խոսք» աղանդի պարագլուխը հայտարարեց, որ ինքը դառնում է կաթոլիկ եկեղեցու անդամ`անորոշության մեջ թողնելով աղանդի հետևորդներին, միայն 5 օրվա ընթացքում 25 աղանդավոր է եկել Հայ Առաքելական եկեղեցի. լրագրողների հետ զրույցում հայտնեց տեր Եսայի քահանա Արթենյանը: Նրա տեղեկացմամբ` ամեն օր «Կյանքի խոսքի» մի քանի հետևորդ է իրեն մոտենում և խնդրում Հայ Առաքելական եկեղեցու շարքերը ներգրավել: «Նրանք անորոշության մեջ են, նրանց շանտաժի են ենթարկում, թե` եթե չշարունակեք գալ մեր հավաքներին և տասանորդը չվճարեք` ձեր ընտանիքի հետ, ձեր երեխաների հետ դժբախտություն կպատահի, կամ էլ` Հայ Առաքելական եկեղեցին, քահանաներն ատում են ձեզ և ձեզ չեն ընդունի: Չկա նման բան, երկուսն էլ սուտ է»,- ասաց տեր Եսային: Նա նշեց նաև, որ աղանդի պարագլխի` իրենց եկեղեցուց հեռանալը միակ պատճառը չէր, որ աղանդի հետևորդները սկսել են դուրս գալ «Կյանքի խոսքից», դա ուղղակի առիթ էր: «Մինչ այդ բոլորի մոտ էլ կասկածներ կային, և ամենամեծ կասկածը ֆինանսական խնդրին էր վերաբերում: Մարդկանց խոստանում էին` եթե ընդգրկվեք «Կյանքի խոսքի» շարքերը, ձեր բիզնեսը կծաղկի, սակայն հակառակն էր լինում: Այսինքն` մարդկանց մեջ կուտակված բազում խնդիրներ կային»,- ասաց քահանան:

Մանրամասները` yerkir.am կայքում:

return t... Back to ... Armenian Apostolic church

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The Covenant of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World (II)

http://covenantsoftheprophet.wordpress.com/2013/08/11/the-covenant-of-the-prophet-muhammad-with-the-christians-of-the-world-1538/

(Rediscovered by Dr. Morrow and first published in 2013 from a manuscript which dates to 1538 CE)

[by the Prophet Muhammad]

[Translated by John Andrew Morrow in 2013]

In the Name of Allah, the Creator [al-Khaliq], the Living [al-Hayy], the Speaking [al-Natiq], the One who Remains after the Annihilation of Creation [al-Baqi ba‘d fana’ al-khaliq].

This is a copy [nushah] of the covenant [‘ahd] which was written by Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib for all the Christians [nasara].

Copy [nuskhah] of the Covenant [kitab al-‘ahd]

This covenant of Allah [‘ahd Allah] was ordered to be written by Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his family [alihi], to all the Christians and all the monks, to guard and protect them, because they are Allah’s trust among His Creations [wadi‘at Allah fi khalqihi] in order for the covenant to be a proof [hujjah] against them and there would be no claim against Allah after the Messenger. He made this a protection [dhimmah] from him and a protection for them by the authority of Allah, for Allah is All-Mighty [‘Aziz] and All-Wise [Hakim]. It was written by the Lion [asad] and the People of His Vocation [ahl al-millati] to all those who profess the Christian religion [da‘wat al-nasraniyyah] in the Eastern lands and its West, near and far, be they Arabs or non-Arabs [‘ajami], known or unknown, as a covenant [‘ahd] from him, a justice and tradition to be preserved.

He who observes it holds to his Islam and is worthy of his religion [din]. He who breaks it [nakatha] and jeopardizes the covenant [‘ahd] which was ordered by the Messenger of Allah, and changes it, and transgresses what has been commanded, has rejected the Covenant of Allah [‘ahd Allah], denies the Oath of Allah [mithaq Allah], disdains his religion, and merits His Maledictions, whether he is a Sultan or anyone else among the believers [mu’minin] and the Muslims.

I started by committing myself to the covenant, granted alliances [uhud] and pledges [mawathiq] to those who requested them from me and from all of my Muslim Community [millati min al-muslimin]. I gave them the Covenant of Allah [ahd Allah] and His Pledge [mithaq] and I placed them under the safeguard of His Prophets, His Chosen Ones [asfiya], His Friends [awliyyah] from among all the Believers [mu’minin] and the Muslims over time. My protection [dhimmati] and my security [mithaqi] represent the most solid covenant that Allah, the Most Exalted, has given a prophet sent in truth to demand obedience, to give obligations [farida], and to respect the covenant [‘ahd].

The covenant of Allah [‘ahd Allah] is that I should protect their land [‘ard], their monasteries [al-diyar], with my power [qudrah], my horses, my men, my weapons [silahi], my strength [quwwati], and my Muslim followers [atba] in any region, far away or close by, and that I should protect their businesses. I grant security to them, their churches, their businesses, their houses of worship [buyut salawatihim], the places of their monks, the places of their pilgrims, wherever they may be found, be they in the mountains or the valleys, caves or inhabited regions, the plains or the desert and that I should protect their dhimmah, their faith [millah], and their religion [din], wherever they may be found in the East or West, in the sea or on land, the same way that I protect myself, my entourage [khasati], and the People of my Community [ahl al-millati] among the Muslims.

I place them under my protection [dhimmah], my security [mithaq], and my trust [aman] at every moment. I defend them from any damage, harm [makruh] or retribution [tabi‘a]. I am behind them, protecting them from every enemy or anyone who wishes them harm [muhdi]. I sacrifice myself for them by means of my helpers [a‘wani], my followers [atbai], and the People of my Community [ahl al-millah] because they are my flock [ra‘iyyah] and the people under my protection [ahl al-dhimmati], I extend [amudu] my authority [sulta], my care [ri‘ayyah], and my protection over them from every harm [makruh] so that it does not reach them. No harm will reach them unless it reaches my Companions [ashab] who [are there to] protect them and assist Islam [nusrat].

I remove from them the harm from taxes and loan in the supplies borne to the People of the Pact [ahl al-ahd] except what they themselves consent to give. They should not be compelled or unfairly treated in this matter.

It is not permitted to remove a bishop from his bishopric, a monk from his monastic life, a Christian from his Christianity, an ascetic [zahid] from his tower, or a pilgrim from his pilgrimage. Nor is it permitted to destroy any part of their churches or their businesses or to take parts of their buildings to construct mosques or the homes of believing Muslims [mu’minin al-muslimin]. Whoever does such a thing will have violated the covenant of Allah [‘ahd Allah], disobeyed [khalafa] his Messenger, and deviated [hadha] from His Divine Alliance.

It is not permitted to impose a capitation [jizyah] or any kind of land tribute [kharaj] on monks, bishops or those who are worshippers among them, who, by devotion, wear woolen clothing [al-suf] or live alone in the mountains or in other regions secluded from human presence.

The capitation [jizyah] will be applied to those Christians who are not clerics [man la yattabad] with the exception of the monk and the pilgrim in the amount of four dirhams per year or an inexpensive cloak [tawb]. He who does not have the money or the food with which to feed himself, the Muslims will help him by means of the savings stored in the Treasury [bayt al-mal]. If they find difficulties in securing food, the Muslims will also help them, provided they willingly accept.

May the land tribute [jizyah al-kharaj] on big business by land or sea, pearl-diving, mining for precious stones, gold and silver, or those who are wealthy among those who profess the Christian faith, not exceed twelve dirhams [fiddah] per year, so long as they are inhabitants and residents in these countries.

May nothing similar be demanded of travelers, who are not residents of the country or wayfarers whose country of residence is unknown. There shall be no land tax with capitation for others than those who own land as will the other occupants of lands over which the ruler has a right. They will pay taxes as others pay them without, however, the charges unjustly exceeding the measure of their means. As for the labor force which the owners spend upon to cultivate these lands, to render them fertile, and to harvest them, they are not to be taxed excessively. Let them pay in the same fashion and justly that which was imposed on other similar tributaries.

The people under our protection [ahl al-dhimmah] will not be obliged to go to war with the Muslims in order to combat their enemies and to attack them. Indeed, the people under our protection [ahl al-dhimmah] are not to engage in war. It is precisely to discharge them of this obligation that this pact has been granted to them as well as to assure them the help and protection of the Muslims. They will not be constrained to provide equipment to any of the Muslims, in arms or horses, in the event of a war in which the Muslims attack their enemies, unless they contribute to the cause freely. And what the Muslims have borrowed will be guaranteed by the [state] Treasury [bayt al-mal] until it is returned to them. If they die or are damaged, the [state] Treasury [bayt al-mal] will provide monetary compensation.

No one who practices the Christian religion will be forced to enter into Islam. And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better [29:46]. They must be covered by the wing of mercy and all harm that could reach them, wherever they may find themselves and wherever they may be, must be repelled.

If a Christian were to commit a crime or an offense, Muslims must provide him with help, defense, and protection, as well as pay his penalty for him. They should encourage reconciliation between him and the victim, to help or save him.

The Muslims must not abandon him or leave him without help and assistance because I have given them a covenant of Allah which is binding upon the Muslims.

In virtue of this pact, they have obtained inviolable rights to enjoy our protection, to be protected from any infringement of their rights, and they are not to be disputed, rejected, or ignored so that they will be bound to the Muslims both in good and bad fortune.

The girls of the Christians must not be subject to suffer, by abuse, on the subject of marriages which they do not desire. Muslims should not take Christian girls in marriage against the will of their parents nor should they oppress their families in the event that they refused their offers of engagement and marriage. Such marriages should not take place without their desire and agreement and without their approval and consent.

If a Muslim takes a Christian woman as a wife, he must respect her Christian beliefs. He will give her freedom to listen to her [clerical] superiors as she desires and to follow the path of her own religion. Whoever, despite this order, forces his [Christian] wife to act contrary to her religion, he will have broken the alliance of Allah and broken the promise [mithaq] of His Messenger and he will be counted, by us, among the liars [kadhibin].

If the Christians approach you seeking the help and assistance of the Muslims in order to repair their churches and their convents, or to arrange matters pertaining to their affairs and religion, these [Muslims] must help and support them. However, they must not do so with the aim of receiving any reward or debt. On the contrary, they should do so to restore that religion, out of faithfulness to the pact of the Messenger of Allah, by pure donation, and as a meritorious act before Allah and His Messenger.

In matters of war between them and their enemies, the Muslims will not employ any Christian as a messenger, scout, guide, to show power, or for any other duty of war. Whoever obliges one of them to do such a thing will be unjust [zaliman] towards Allah, disobedient [‘asiyan] to His Messenger, and will be cast out [mutakhaliyan] from his religion. Nothing is permitted to a Muslim [with regards to the Christians] outside of obeying these edicts which Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah, the Messenger of Allah, has passed in favor of the religion of the Christians.

I am also placing conditions [upon the Christians] and I demand that they promise to fulfill and satisfy them as commands their religion. Among other things, none of them may act as a scout, spy, either overtly or covertly, on behalf of an enemy of war, against a Muslim. None of them will shelter the enemies of the Muslims in their homes from which they could await the moment to launch an attack. May these enemies [of the Muslims] never be allowed to halt in their regions, be it in their villages, their oratories, or in any other place belonging to their co-religionists. They must not provide any support to the war enemies of the Muslims by furnishing them with weapons, horses, men or call for unnecessary things. They must not annoy them and they should be honored as long as they persist in their religion and their care for their pact. They must grant Muslims three days and three nights when they halt among them. They must offer them, wherever they are found, and wherever they are going, the same food with which they live themselves, without, however, being obliged to endure other annoying or onerous burdens.

If a Muslim needs to hide in one of their homes or oratories, they must grant him hospitality, give him help, and provide him with their food during the entire time he will be among them, making every effort to keep him concealed and to prevent the enemy from finding him, while providing to all of his needs.

Whoever contravenes or alters the ordinances of this edict will be cast out of the alliance between Allah and His Messenger.

May everyone abide by the treaties and alliances which have been contracted with the monks, and which I have contracted myself, wherever they may be.

The Messenger of Allah, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, must respect what he has granted, on his authority and all the Muslims, to guard them and have mercy on them until the end, until the Hour of [Resurrection] arrives, and the world comes to an end.

Whoever is unjust after this towards a [Christian] subject [dhimmi], breaks the covenant and rejects it, I will be his enemy on the Day of Judgment among all the Muslims.

As witness to this covenant [kitab]–which was written by Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah, the Messenger of Allah, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to all the Christians [jami‘] to whom he put conditions in it, and for whom he wrote the following covenant [‘ahd]–there are thirty witnesses:

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab

‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan

‘Ali ibn Abi Talib

Abu Dharr

Abu al-Darda

Abu Hurayrah

‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud

al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Malik

Fadl ibn al-‘Abbas al-Zahri

Talhah ibn ‘Abd Allah

Sa‘id ibn Mu‘azz

Sa‘id ibn Ubadah

Thabit ibn Qays

Yazid ibn Talit

‘Abd Allah ibn Yazid

Farsus ibn Qasim ibn Badr ibn Ibrahim

Amir ibn Yazid [imam ibn Yazid?]

Sahl ibn Tamim

‘Abd al-‘Azim ibn al-Najashi

———————-

[different handwriting]

‘Abd al-‘Azim ibn Husayn

‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As

‘Amr ibn Yasir

Mu‘azim ibn Musa

Hassan ibn Thabit

Abu Hanifah

‘Ubayd ibn Mansur

Hashim ibn ‘Abd Allah

Abu al-‘Azar

Hisham ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib

‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, wrote this covenant, and the manuscript [sijl] was written on a piece of leather [jild] that was not small. It remained at the Sultan’s authority and was sealed by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. All praise be to Allah.

This blessed book [kitab al-mubarak] was completed on the holy day of Monday, in the last month of Ba‘una, the blessed, in the year of our Masters the Martyrs, the Pure Ones, the Felicitous, the Satisfied [abrar], may Allah grant us their intercession and may their intercession be with us. Amen!

This corresponds to the 27th of the sacred [haram] month of Muharram of the year 945 of the Arabic hijrah. May Allah make its end good! Amen!

This blessed book [kitab al-mubarak] belongs to the great soul [al-mubajjal], the master [al-mawla], the leader [al-ra’is], the elder [al-shaykh], the scholar [al-‘alim], Sum‘an, the son of [najl], the source of greatness [al-mu‘azzam] Fadl Allah, may Allah rest his soul in peace [nayaha allah nafsahu], known as [al-ma‘ruf] al-Barallusi.

The writer of these words is the humble [miskin], full of faults and sins [khataya wa al-dunub], asking the brothers who read these words [lit. letters] to mention them in their prayers [salawat] and the Messiah [masih] will reward them one hundred and sixty three times.

=====================
Then what about negative verses that the Muslims believe in (and which were given as justification for the Armenian Genocide by Muslim Turks) about fighting and killing none-Muslims including the Christians & Jews. Apparently such negative verses were later added on to the holy scripts of Islam for political imperialist reasons and ambitions and were never pronounced by their prophet Muhammad. Hence the deception and rivers of blood.

Samples of such verses that were later inserts into Muslim books when the Koran was put into written form and all the rest of the holy writs were discarded, this happened after some 150 years of the death of Muhammad:

"the Messenger of Allah . . . would say: 'Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war. . . . When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action. . . . Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them. . . . If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah's help and fight them . . .'" (Muslim Book 19, Number 4294).

"fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war) . . . " (Qur’an 9:5).

"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued" (Qur'an 9:29).

"The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter . . . " (Qur'an 5:33). [ibn Kathir says of this verse: "'Wage war' mentioned here means, oppose and contradict, and it includes disbelief, blocking roads and spreading fear in the fairways. Mischief in the land refers to various types of evil." So, Muhammad requires execution, crucifixion, or cutting off hands and feet from opposite sides for "disbelief."]

"Allah's Apostle said: 'I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle . . . '" (Bukhari Volume 1, Book 2, Number 24).

"It is not for any prophet to have captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah desireth (for you) the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty, Wise" (Qur'an 8:67).

"Allah’s Apostle said, 'I have been made victorious with terror'" (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 220).
==========
As part of the remembrance 100th anniversary of our genocide, the financing of the translation of this book of John Morrow (more info about the book coming below) into Turkish and Azeri languages and their distribution widely in Turkey and Azerbaijan. Also the promotion of this book by media means into to the people of those countries should be undertaken by the Armenians. Hopefully then Turks and Tartars (Tartars are now in power in Azerbaijan) will rise above their animal-savagery by harboring good will toward Armenians and someday bless us in place of more killings.

About this single discovered document, Muqtedar Khan the Director of Islamic Studies at the University of Delaware, writes: "The first and the final sentence of the charter are critical. They make the promise eternal and universal. Muhammed asserts that Muslims are with Christians near and far, straight away rejecting any future attempts to limit the promise to St. Catherine alone. By ordering Muslims to obey it until the Day of Judgment the charter again undermines any future attempts to revoke the privileges. These rights are inalienable. Muhammed declared Christians, all of them, as his allies and he equated ill treatment of Christians with violating God's covenant.

"A remarkable aspect of the charter is that it imposes no conditions on Christians for enjoying its privileges. It is enough that they are Christians. They are not required to alter their beliefs, they do not have to make any payments and they do not have any obligations. This is a charter of rights without any duties!

"The document is not a modern human rights treaty, but even though it was penned in 628 A.D. it clearly protects the right to property, freedom of religion, freedom of work, and security of the [Christian] person."
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2009/12/prophet_muhammads_promise_to_christians.html

Now about the book (you can look free inside of some 25 pages of the book with many illustrations at the post in Amazon)

The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World
by John Andrew Morrow
http://www.amazon.com/Covenants-Prophet-Muhammad-Christians-World/dp/159731465X

The Prophet Muhammad's treaties with the Christians of his time, which John Andrew Morrow has rediscovered in obscure collections and often newly translated, uniformly state that Muslims are not to attack peaceful Christian communities, but defend them "until the End of the World." Authored by the Prophet himself, they represent a third foundational pillar for Islam outside of Qur'an and hadith. The "Covenants Initiative" within the book represents a movement by Muslims, both prominent and unknown, in support of Christians under attack. These treaties desperately need to be better known among Christians, Muslims, and the general public.

For scholars, this book provides much difficult-to-obtain material: facsimiles of primary sources in Arabic and Persian; corrected versions in modern Arabic typescript; and alternate translations. They now have all they need to study the covenants in depth.

Paperback: 466 pages
Publisher: Sophia Perennis (November 2, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 159731465X
ISBN-13: 978-1597314657

The last month and a half has seen perhaps the worst anti-Christian violence in Egypt in seven centuries, with dozens of churches torched. Yet the western media has mainly focused on army assaults on the Muslim Brotherhood, and no major political figure has said anything about the sectarian attacks.

Last week at the National Liberal Club there was a discussion asking why the American and British press have ignored or under-reported this persecution, and (in some people’s minds) given a distorted narrative of what is happening.

Among the four speakers was the frighteningly impressive Betsy Hiel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, who has spent years in Egypt and covered Iraq and Afghanistan. There were lots of stories of Muslims protecting Christian neighbours, but there were also incidents with frightening echoes; Hiel described a man riding on his bike past a burned down church and laughing, which brought to my mind the scene in Schindler’s List when local Poles make throat-slitting gestures to Jews en route to Auschwitz.

Some of this has been reported, but the focus has been on the violence committed against the Brotherhood. Judging by the accounts given by one of the other speakers, Nina Shea of the Center for Religious Freedom, the American press is even more blind, and their government not much better; when Mubarak was overthrown one US agency assessed the Muslim Brotherhood as being ‘essentially secular’.

The night ended with historian Tom Holland declaring sadly that we are now seeing the extinction of Christianity and other minority faiths in the Middle East. As he pointed out, it’s the culmination of the long process that began in the Balkans in the late 19th century, [extended to Historic Armenia and Anatolia], reached its horrific European climax in 1939-1945, and continued with the Greeks of Alexandria, the Mizrahi Jews and most recently the Chaldo-Assyrian Christians of Iraq. [and presently in Syria]. The Copts in Egypt may have the numbers to hold on, Holland said, and the Jews of Israel, but can anyone else?

Without a state (and army) of their own, minorities are merely leaseholders. The question is whether we can do anything to prevent extinction, and whether British foreign policy can be directed towards helping Christian interests rather than, as currently seems to be the case, the Saudis.

The saddest audience question was from a young man who I’m guessing was Egyptian-British. He asked: ‘Where was world Christianity when this happened?’

Nowhere. Watching X-Factor. Debating intersectionality. Or just too frightened of controversy to raise Muslim-on-Christian violence.

Bishop Angaelos, leader of the UK Copts, also expressed disappointment at the response from other religious leaders, saying that if Christians burned down 10 synagogues or mosques, let alone 50, they’d be going over to show their sympathy and shame.

The most outspoken British religious leader has been Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, and the debate brought to mind something Rabbi Sacks recently said about Middle Eastern Christians, comparing their fate with those of the Jews in Europe, and quoting Martin Luther King: ‘In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.’

http://www.15levels.com/armenia/ornament-a.gif The earliest Armenian pantheon was most likely similar to the pre-historic Indo-European pantheon; and, it probably included eponymous and other legendary heroes as well. It seems that the Armenians also had nature gods and, indeed, worshiped the elements. During the fifth century BC, the Armenians adopted the Iranian form of these divinities and domesticated them. Ahura-Mazda, who assumed the status of father of the gods, was worshipped as Aramazd.

Mithra, god of light and justice, was known as Mihr. Anahita, goddess of fertility and mother of all wisdom, became Anahit--the favorite goddess of the Armenians. . http://www.15levels.com/armenia/anahit.gif Verethrangna, the god of war, was worshipped as Vahagn. Astghik was the goddess of love. Tir, the scribe of Aramazd, was the god of science and the recorder of man's deeds of good and evil. Barshamin and Nane, probably of Syrian origin, also formed part of the Armenian pantheon.

With the conquests of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), and the successor Seleucid Empire, Armenia entered the Hellenistic orbit and identified its gods (as did the Romans and others) with the Greek pantheon. Thus Aramazd became Zeus; Mihr became Hephaestus; Anahit became Artemis; Vahagn became Heracles; Astghik became Aphrodite; Tir became Apollo; and Nane became Athena; only Barshamin retained his original form.

This characteristic syncretism also appears in Persia, where Ahura-Mazda became Zeus; Mithra became Apollo; and Anahita became Athena.

Pagan Greek priests brought cult statues of the gods to Armenia and placed them in Hellenistic temples. Thus, an Irano-Greek form of paganism existed in Armenia, along with the worship of local spirits, up until the establishment of Christianity in the early fourth century. Some aspects of the old religion survived in folklore and customs for centuries thereafter.

The weakening of the Seleucids allowed the founding of the Armenian Artaxid dynasty (189 BC). Sometime later, the Artaxiad Tigranes II, the Great, (95-55 BC), http://www.15levels.com/armenia/tigran_mon_Hellenist.gif along with his ally Mithradates VI (Eupator) of Pontus established a short-lived Armenian-Hellenistic empire which stretched from the Caucasus to Lebanon, and from Mesopotamia to the Pontic Alps. By this time the great Armenian feudal nobility (the nakharars) were well established.

The empire of Tigranes was destroyed by the Romans, who were gradually expanding into the Middle East. Roman incursions were led in turn by Lucullus, Pompey, Crassus, Mark Antony (who captured Artavasdes II by ruse), and Caius Caesar (sent by his grandfather the Emperor Augustus). Western Armenia thus fell under Roman hegemony, while the eastern territories came to be dominated by the Parthians.

Trdat, the brother of the last important Parthian king, Vologases I (AD 51-77), was appointed by him as king of Armenia (AD 52). Trdat was also recognized by Rome (AD 66), and thus he became the founder of the Arsacid (Parthian) dynasty which ruled Armenia until AD 428.

With the rise of the second Persian empire (Sassanid, AD 226-651), eastern Armenia was drawn more deeply into the Iranian orbit, while western Armenia remained chiefly under Roman and then Byzantine influence. The two great empires, Rome and Persia, vied for centuries to establish dominance over Armenia, making Armenia the scene of almost constant warfare.

This struggle was carried on in ernest when the founder of the Persian Sassanid dynasty, Ardashir I, overthrew the Parthian kingdom in Iran (AD 226), invaded Armenia, overwhelmed the Armenian Arsacids, and attacked the Roman Empire. After over a century of warfare, peace was signed between the Eastern Roman Empire and Iran in AD 387, dividing Armenia into two vassal states--one controlled by Byzantium and the other by Iran. In Persian (eastern) Armenia, the Armenian Arsacids retained nominal supremacy until AD 428; but, after the natural extinction of the Armenian dynasty, the Iranians appointed a marzpan (margrave) to rule as governor.

http://www.15levels.com/armenia/armenia-pr...-christian.html

January 18, 2014
8 Ways to Live Well from Biblical Times
http://refreshingnews99.blogspot.in/2014/01/8-ways-to-live-well-from-biblical-times.html

Apples, grapes, olive oil, honey, onions, pomegranates, fish, and spices like ginger are considered super-foods and found throughout the Bible. Gain understanding and live well, according to God’s Word!

The Olive Leaf
The olive leaf oil was used in Biblical times to promote healing for cuts and used as an antiseptic.

Nuts
Walnuts, pistachios, and almonds can lower bad cholesterol, are full of protein, fiber, and can also maintain weight.

“Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.” Genesis: 43:11

Spelt
Spelt has more protein than conventional wheat, B2, copper, fiber, and is digested easier. Spelt can help prevent diabetes with its low glycemic index. “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself.” Ezekiel 4:9

Onions
Onions improve vitamin C production, reduce inflammation, regulate blood sugar, and can prevent certain cancers. “We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.” Numbers 11:5

Vinegar
Vinegar works well as an antiseptic, body cleanser, and has vitamins A, B1, B2, and B6. It could also boost cognitive function, and suppress the appetite. Look up vinegar in the Book of Ruth.

Pomegranates
Pomegranates can lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, ward off cancer, and help people suffering from depression.

Beans
Beans lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, and osteoporosis. The variety of beans seems endless such as lima, navy, pinto, white beans and kidney beans.

Psalms 90
"Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well! Come back, GOD—how long do we have to wait?— and treat your servants with kindness for a change. Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we’ll skip and dance all the day long. Make up for the bad times with some good times; we’ve seen enough evil to last a lifetime. Let your servants see what you’re best at— the ways you rule and bless your children. And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!"

http://youtu.be/6jlhnLjHIqI

My dearly beloved daughter,

My poor sacred servants will, after the Liturgy has been tampered with and desecrated before Me, come running to Me in great sorrow. Only when that happens, will they realise that the Word of God is being made known through God’s prophet, and that it is the Truth. The Word of God is the Truth. It can only be the full Truth or not at all, if the prophecies given to God’s children are from Him.

Many will gather and unite to prepare to pay homage to Me, in the way which honours Me, for nothing will stand in their way to uphold My Holy Word; My Holy Sacraments; My Holy Mass and the Most Holy Eucharist. But even then, many will not see the errors, which are going to be presented to unsuspecting souls.

Only when the Church of God is declared to be in union with pagans, and their ludicrous practices, will more of My sacred servants truly understand what is happening. Only when the pagan symbols and satanic signs begin to be shown inside of, upon and at the exterior entrances to Christian Churches, will they run for their lives. There will be great fear in their hearts, because many of them, at that stage, will have nowhere to go, as they failed to prepare for this day. These will be the ones who will be hunted down because they did not respond to My Call. Their pride and their egos prevented them from recognizing My Voice. So many of My sacred servants will be caught unawares, and many will be powerless against the reign of the false prophet and his cohort, the antichrist. These two will be ruthless in their quest to control all nations and anyone who dares to stand in their way will be destroyed.

While those sacred servants within My Church on Earth will be trapped, unless they are prepared, it is the souls of the faithful, the loyal followers of Me, Jesus Christ, who will be misled into grave error, which causes Me such bitter sorrow. Many will be afraid to show disloyalty to the Church, even when My Teachings, My Holy Doctrine, and all the Sacraments have been altered. Let them know now that no man, no priest, no bishop, no cardinal, no pope, has the authority to re-write the Word of God. When they do this, they have broken God’s Law. Only the Church of God, which remains faithful to My Teachings, is infallible. Once that bond – the bond where only the Truth is declared in My Name – is broken, they become separated from Me. I Am the Church. You, My followers, My sacred servants, are part of Me when you adhere to My Holy Doctrine.

The Church – My Church – will remain intact, for the Truth can never change. Those who separate from Me can not be part of My Church on Earth.

Your Jesus

Following the detailed texts of his apocryphal Acts [of Peter], Peter [the Apostle] had a strong disagreement with an illustrious Palestinian, Simon Magus. Two moments of this dispute are illustrated at Monreale: the dispute that occurred before the emperor Nero and the failure by Simon Magus to show spiritual power.

The two inscriptions say: Here in Rome, before Nero, Peter and Paul disputed with Simon Magus. Here, under the command of Peter, as Paul was praying, Simon Magus fell to the ground.

In the second scene, as Peter is speaking out against Simon Magus, with the usual Byzantine gesture of speaking [and not “blessing” as is often generally said by many nowadays], Paul is depicted as praying, on his knees with the palms of his hands facing upwards.

http://www.duomomonreale.it/index0933.html?option=com_content&task=view&id=201&Itemid=268&lang=en

Catholicos of All Armenians elected President of the World Council of Churches

November 5, 20133

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, has been unanimously elected President of the World Council of Churches (WCC) for the term of eight years. The voting took place during the November 4th sitting of the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Busan, South Korea.

The presidency of the Council consists of eight members. The mission of WCC Presidents is to encourage the inter-church and ecumenical relations, ensure the protection of human rights in the world, establishment of justice and peace.

http://www.armradio.am/en/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Garegin-B-1-620x300.jpg