Salvation

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Do Jews and Protestants go to hell? Can either become vampires? - Michael Douglass

Christian denominations, whether Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant, have historically taught that an afterlife awaits everyone. All people will eventually spend eternity in either Heaven, where the rewards are beyond anything we can imagine, or Hell, where unbelievable levels of pain and suffering will endure without any hope of relief.

Different denominations teach that their followers have a better chance at attaining Heaven, and that believers in other faiths, cults or sects are either totally excluded from Heaven or, at least, are more likely to go to Hell. In John 3: 3, a man named Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews. Yet Jesus told him that unless you are born again you cannot see the kingdom of God. The statement "born again" means that God has to see you in a body other than the body of Adam. When we place our faith in the Precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6) we are baptised into the Body of Christ. This means that in the eyes of God we are in a Body that has never sinned against God in any way. That is how man is redeemed. Whether you are a Jew or Gentile or any nationality, without the Body of Christ, no man or woman will enter Heaven. So anyone who says Jesus Christ is not risen in a physical body is still yet in his sins (1 Corinthians 15: 17).

Jews do go to Hell, as many of them still believe that the Messiah has yet to come. They reject the New Testament and the Son of God, the Risen Christ. The Old Testament saints were considered believers for they believed what they were told about the Saviour of the world that was to come, as prophesied in Genesis 3: 15. Christ is also pictured many times by His many ancestors, eg Adam. Christ is the Second Adam. Therefore, Jews that die outside of Christ do, unfortunately, go to Hell. Jews, even though they are God's people, are not all destined for Heaven, for they, as well as Gentiles, non Jews, have to believe in Christ and be born again with a new nature to combat our old one that wants to sin.

The Jews of today are not the Jews of the Bible. A group of them deviated from their beliefs and rejected their own saviour from their prophesies. Christians are now the new "jews" who did follow the teachings and accepted the saviour when He appeared. Therefore, the Jews of today forfeit their birthright just as their ancestors did during Jesus' time. By an extension of their own law, the Jews of today will be in Hell, as many of the groups of Jews throughout the Old Testament who continued to deviate from God's word and were punished. Redemptive grace is focused most clearly in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, whom Christians recognise as the Living Christ. We might refer to Jesus as Grace Himself, as Grace in the Flesh, as Grace walking around. The grace of Christ can inspire us in such a transformative way as to change our awareness of ourselves, of our potential as human beings and as mankind, and our awareness of God's gracious purpose for us and through us for all Creation. It is this changed awareness which recognises a still more specialised form of grace — the grace made available to all who choose to serve God's hope for all in Christ. This is the grace which makes us disciples and is available as spiritual power for goodness' sake. Jesus exhibited this kind of power and challenged us to do the same.

Contagion of a demonic kind, including vampirism where the person is afflicted in life and is not one of God's true dead, is something anyone outside of a state of grace is susceptible to, and is certainly not restricted to particular faiths or denominations. We are potentially all at risk from the wiles of the Devil and his demonic horde.

Jesus rejects Satan (Matthew 4: 1-11, Mark 1: 12-13, Luke 4: 1-13)..

Glastonbury Holy Thorn

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Is there any news following the terrible attack on the holy thorn at Glastonbury last December? - Kes

The Holy Thorn grew from a cutting of a tree said to have been planted by St Joseph of Arimathea two thousand years ago before it was cut down by what many now believe were four men with a chainsaw. Needless to say, they carried out their act of malice under cover of darkness. There is no news so far leading to the culprits being reprimanded; though community leaders in Glastonbury set up a fund to try and find out who vandalised this sacred tree. Thousands of people arrive each year to pay homage to it as part of their pilgrimage to a place full of reminders of our earliest Christian heritage in these Isles. If no culprits are identified the money raised will go towards the replanting and future protection of the tree. Local folk are convinced that more than one person was involved, and an increasing number are reaching my view that this wanton vandalism was the work of those on the Left-hand Path.

Television interview about St Joseph of Arimathea and Glastonbury.

St Joseph of Arimathea visited Somerset nearly two thousand years ago and drove his staff into the soil at the spot where the Holy Thorn was vandalised three months ago. The staff is thought by many to have once belonged to Jesus, and while most hawthorns only flower in the spring, the Holy Thorn flowers at both Christmas and Easter. It is, therefore, heavily symbolic of the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The sacred tree has been protected by a metal cage to discourage such vandalism. This did not deter the diabolical group who attempted to remove the cage in order to dig up the entire tree in the dead of night. Once this failed, they resorted to cutting off all the branches leaving an iron encased stump. This means that with the stump still intact the tree might recover in due course; although we won't know until Easter. Until then, what remains of the Holy Thorn would best be watered with our prayers.

Personal images of Glastonbury with the Holy Thorn (bottom, left) prior to being vandalised. Also seen are the site of St Joseph of Arimathea's church (top), the Abbey grounds and Glastonbury Tor.

I am delighted to report that this month a new shoot has appeared on the vandalised tree despite it being mercilessly cut down. We wait to see if this will survive to herald the return of the Glastonbury Thorn. 

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Gitte May-Britt Gifford R.I.P.

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Our dear friend Gitte died last Friday at her home. She was a very close friend of my late London Secretary, Diana Brewester, and often visited Highgate, London, when Diana was alive. Likewise, Diana would visit Gitte in Denmark. When Diana passed away in December 2003 it was Gitte who ensured that her last wishes were carried out. Her generous assistance during that period was invaluable. Yet I feel that the loss of her friend was something from which Gitte never really fully recovered. I miss Diana, too, seven years after her sudden departure following a terrible illness. It remains uncertain as to what took Gitte from us because the autopsy results were not disclosed, but I am in contact with her last boyfriend, Daniel, who has been as helpful as anyone can be in these circumstances. He is as much in the dark about her end, however, as we are. That notwithstanding, Gitte showed immense loyalty and courage. Frequently outspoken, she was a formidable opponent and a fiercely loyal ally. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. The funeral is being held this morning in Odense, Denmark. We invite prayers for Gitte who is now in the care of her Creator. She leaves behind a daughter, Siri, who is also very much in our thoughts and prayers.

I shall always remember Gitte May-Britt Gifford as an exceptionally strong-willed woman whose thinking could not be influenced or altered by anything other than indisputable fact. She had an inquisitive mind of great intellect, and her unquenchable thirst for knowledge was tempered only by a sense of humour which made her all the more human and all the more likeable. Towards the end, I suspect the balance in her being and life became upset. It is deeply distressing that one so intelligent and so relatively young (she had just turned forty-five last month) can suddenly be taken from us. I shall not forget her, especially her kindness, and her determination.

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Glastonbury Thorn Vandalised

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Your Grace, regarding the vandalism, one report says that the tree remains may still be viable for branches. Let us pray that this holy relic of the first Christian ministry to Britain recovers fully, and that the vandals are caught posthaste. Wishing you a happy Advent season - Michael Marinacci.

We were alerted as soon as the discovery of this wanton act of vandalism had occurred. It is covered on some of our church pages found on Facebook and elsewhere, but I confess to having been put in a rather contemplative state by it all. The destruction of the living tree, as I see it, is entirely symbolic of the erosion in our land of spiritual values held precious for many centuries. This is symptomatic with the ever diminishing presence of Christianity, as darkness and all that dwells in the shadows spreads exponentially like a plague. We simply cannot continue as a country in a direction that takes us further away away from the Light without serious consequences to our cultural identity and destiny. It is spiritual suicide. This has come as a wake up call and is especially poignant for me. I ask for your prayers on behalf of the distressed inhabitants of this uniquely spiritual place.

The act was clearly premeditated and considerable trouble was taken to saw through the tree, as iron railings surround it. To my mind, this sacrilege was perpetrated by those who travel a darkly left-hand path.

I have been deeply moved by local expressions of distress, evinced in some by weeping around the stump of what is left after years of the tree being visited by pilgrims from all over the world. To them I say the tree will one day miraculously return to life; just as one day our Faith will reflower and spread again to every town and village throughout the British Isles.

Joseph of Arimathea came to Britain after the crucifixion two thousand years ago bearing the Holy Grail - the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper. He visited Glastonbury and thrust his staff into Wearyall Hill, just below the Tor, planting a seed for the original thorn tree. Roundheads felled the tree during the English Civil War, when forces led by Oliver Cromwell waged a vicious battle against the Crown.

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However, locals salvaged the roots of the original tree, hiding it in secret locations around Glastonbury.

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It was then replanted on the hill in 1951. Other cuttings were also grown and placed around the town - including its famous Glastonbury Abbey.

Experts had verified that the tree - known as the Crategus Monogyna Bi Flora - originated from the Middle East.

A sprig of holy thorns was taken from the Thorn tree by Glastonbury's St Johns Church last Wednesday and sent to the Queen.

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The 100-year-old tradition will see the thorns sit on Her Majesty's dinner table on Christmas Day

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Avon and Somerset Police have launched an investigation after locals found that vandals had hacked off the branches of the iconic tree. They were dumped next to the trunk which is protected by a metal cage.

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Locals wept openly after the desecration had happened at the foot of the tree, on the town's Wearyall Hill opposite its world-famous Tor as they struggled to contain their emotion.

Katherine Gorbing, curator of Glastonbury Abbey, said: "The mindless vandals who have hacked down this tree have struck at the heart of Christianity. It holds a very special significance all over the world and thousands follow in the footsteps of Joseph Arimathea, coming especially to see it. It is the most significant of all the trees planted here and can be linked back to the origins of Christianity. When I arrived at the Abbey this morning you could look over to the hill and see it was not there. It's a great shock to everyone in Glastonbury - the landscape of the town has changed overnight."

Glastonbury Mayor John Coles rushed to the tree site after he heard the news.

Mr Coles, 66, said: "I'm stood on Wearyall Hill looking at a sad, sad, sight. The tree has been chopped down - someone has taken a saw to it. Some of the main trunk is there but the branches have been sawn away. I am absolutely lost for words - I just do not know why people would want to do this. This tree was visited by thousands of people each year and is one of the most important Christian sites. It is known all over the world."

Deputy Mayor William Knight, 63, added: "This is absolutely mindless. We are all devastated."

There is a full page photograph of the Glastonbury Thorn with the Tor in the background, taken soon after I became Bishop of Glastonbury, on page 33 of The Grail Church: Its Ancient Tradition and Renewed Flowering.

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Click on this link to read more about the recent vandalism.

Click on this link to learn about reward offered to catch the vandal(s).
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Ingrid Pitt R.I.P.

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What are your thoughts about the actress Ingrid Pitt who has died in the last few days? I ask because I believe you knew her. - Mair Jones

Ingrid Pitt (originally Ingoushka Petrov or Natasha Petrovna) was born on 21 November 1937 in Warsaw, Poland to a German father and a Polish mother. She became an actress probaby best known for her work in Hammer Films, having made her debut in Doctor Zhivago in 1965 playing a minor role. Inevitably, Ingrid Pitt will always be associated with the roles of Carmilla in The Vampire Lovers (1970), a film based on Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's novella, and Countess Dracula (1971) in the film of the same name loosely based on the life of Countess Erzsébet Báthory (7 August 1560 – 21 August 1614).

Ingrid was sometimes an invited guest at my live appearances before large television studio audiences where aspects of the supernatural were under discussion. I remember her sitting immediately before me in the front row, frequently conservatively attired, occasionally wearing a tweed suit, her eyes fixing me intently throughout. We would have refreshment together afterwards in the green room, and that is how we became acquainted. We worked on a couple of projects for television when I was still based in London. I did just one more project with her after I had removed approximately a hundred or so miles from the capital, and recall one day complimenting her as she arrived at the medieval prison location on the south bank of the River Thames (which provided one of the many sets for that particular film documentary made over a number of months). I will never forget the look of utter astonishment in her green-blue eyes before her features relaxed and she smiled at me. Perhaps compliments had dried up by then, but she had been a most striking looking actress in her day. Moreover, I was hidden in the shadows behind the studio lights and might not have been immediately recognisable to her.

She always kept me informed about her ventures and sent me her books and magazines from time to time. These publications seemed mostly to concentrate on the theme which had brought her fame in the 1970s. I was invited to a number of her gothic parties in the west country. The sadness in her eyes always struck me as hiding some deep-rooted tragedy in her past, and I nearly mentioned this to her on one occasion, but decided against it. Some things are better left. What was obvious about Ingrid was her intelligence and dedication. She was a natural storyteller and charmed audiences with personal appearances at retrospective screenings and other events. She lived in Argentina for a while and was a friend of Isobel Perón, the third wife of the former dictator and president, Juan Perón.

Ingrid died in a south London hospital on 23 November 2010, two days after her seventy-third birthday, having collapsed a few days earlier. There are not many left from that epoch of Hammer Films which those of a certain generation remember with relish. What I like about these films is that ultimately they are morality tales where faith and the existence of things supernatural are to the forefront. Ingrid played her part in all that for which we should be grateful.

Our deepest sympathy is extended to Steffanie, Ingrid's daughter, who has confirmed that her mother suffered with heart problems, probably the cause of her death, and had not been in good health for at least a couple of years. May she now rest in peace.

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Liturgiam Authenticam

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"St Paul tells us that 'the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.'      That time has now arrived."

- The Grail Church

Holy Grail (imprint of Gothic Press), 1995. 

(Quoted from page 122).

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João Teixeira de Faria

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Hello Bishop Manchester. I would like to ask you what is your opinion of the those that claim to have the gift of healing? One such person that claims to have the ability of healing is a Brazilian named John of God. Do you think there are people today that has the ability to heal? - Ruben H.

João Teixeira de Faria (born 24 June 1942), known also as João de Deus ("John of God"), is a medium and according to himself, a psychic surgeon in Brazil. He is based in Abadiânia, a small town in the state of Goiás, southwest of Brasília. João is not a licensed doctor. He is said to have been so rebellious he was thrown out of school after the second grade and could not keep a job. At sixteen it is claimed the "entity" of King Solomon entered his body, and performed a miraculous healing. For years, João wandered Brazil offering healings. Three decades ago, he took residence in his casa in the plateaus and became known as "John of God."

João Teixeira de Faria

Some people say the healings are just a front - a way to make "John of God" rich. Even though he charges no fee for treatment, João appears to be a wealthy man. He owns a cattle ranch not far from where he sees patients. It comprises more than 1,000 acres. When it was pointed out to João that his town has become a tourist beacon with thousands coming to spend money for herbs and other items, he looked hurt. His eyes turned red and watered. He said he has money but he spends it to pay for food and education for the poor. "I have cattle, but that's not enough to keep the casa," he said. Yet there are rumours that "John of God" has a much darker side. Juliana Almeida Franca, a district attorney who has investigated "John of God," says he sent her death threats - delivered by a relative. João denies this. João has also been accused of taking advantage of a woman who came to be healed. He insisted his healings are legitimate. "You can fool the people for one to two years. But you cannot fool people for 45 years," he protests in his own defence. I do not see in João de Deus a man of God, but rather someone who claims to communicate with spirits of the dead and also someone claiming to be a so-called "psychic surgeon." Such practices are obviously prohibited to Christians and clearly invite charlatanry by those who adopt them.

Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce0OqlOaft0

I do believe in Divine Healing where the healing derives from God, but I do not believe João Teixeira de Faria is such a healer. Far from it. He is a medium and as such his actions are utterly condemned in scripture. Calling himself "John of God," therefore, is blasphemy. He does not represent God. He represents himself and such "spirits" he evokes - assuming he communicates with external entities from the spirit world at all - and these will be from an unknown source.

Divine healing should not be confused with “faith healing” or “spiritual healing.” Divine healing is the effect of the Holy Spirit upon our natural beings. When the sick, suffering and demon possessed touched Our Lord Jesus Christ, virtue went out of Him - the power of the Holy Spirit flowed from the Saviour. Divine healing can be experienced through the following means:

The laying on of hands in His name.

Anointing with chrism.

The prayer of Faith.

Fasting and prayer.

Anointed cloths.

Gifts of healing.

The Eucharist.

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