No - In the 16th century the true gospel was rescued from those who had held it captive from most of the laity.
You know, I was bashed for showing some of the history behind Catholicism and the need for the Reformation.
Lets look at two events in human history and ask this question: "How do you control the human population?"
In 1932, a movement started. A single person started a call against what he believed was the downfall and all the problems with his country. Adolph Hitler.
To sway the populace, he devised a plan and a way to bring people around to his line of thought. It took some 7-8 years for it to come to fruition though.
How do you control the human population?
There are three basic steps:
- Control the government and the education system.
- Control the media.
- Keep the masses ignorant.
If you control the government, you an control the laws. If you control the education system, you can dictate what the masses know.
If you control the media, television and radio, not only do you control what they see, but what they hear. (A very powerful combination)
And if you keep the masses ignorant, they'll not know any better.
These were lessons Adolph Hitler knew well. His anti-Jew rhetoric was very effective in the 1938-1939 era. As seen in the events just prior to World War II. Nearly every single German of that era, believed that the Jews were the downfall of Germany. I was seen in the schools on how young German children were taught, while Jewish children were ignored and ridiculed. Thanks to Hitler's propaganda minister, he controlled not only the schools, but the media, films, radio, newspapers. Free speech was outlawed! Not all mind you, but most Germans had to rely o what was seen in public films, read in the newspaper, or heard on the radio. And by doing so, the Nazi party kept the masses ignorant. Ignorant of the holocaust. Ignorant of the war too. Ignorant of the facts.
A book came out not long ago entitled "
After the Ball: How America Will Conquer Its Fear and Hatred of Gays in the 90's".
In it, they borrowed a lesson from Nazi Germany.
"If you say it long enough,
and you say it loud enough,
people will even believe a lie".
This is often attributed to Joseph Goebbels:
"
If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself.
This exact principle is laid out in the book "America after the Ball" in the chapters on
(1) Desensitization,
(2) Jamming, and
(3) Conversion.
Now, lets look at another historical view.
It is a fact, that until sometime in late 1500's to early 1600's, religion also controlled the government. Religion heavily played into politics. The average citizen was totally ignorant as there was a very limited education system.
In order to become "educated" you had to be born from Royalty, be rich, or go to a "seminary".
The education system today is a sad state to what it was 250 years ago. By the time a person graduated from a "university" they were for all intents and purposes, a "Doctor". (Phd)
Control government, check. Control education, check.
There was no "free press" until 1776. Control the media, check.
Keep the masses ignorant...
From the start of the 2nd century until the 12th century, it was illegal to process the scriptures. More so from about 1199, it was said:
"
The depth of the divine Scriptures is such that not only the illiterate and uninitiated have difficulty understanding them, but also the educated and the gifted.
It was also said:
"
We prohibit also that the laity should be permitted to have the books of the Old or New Testament;
And it was also ruled:
"
No one may possess the books of the Old and New Testaments in the Romance language, and if anyone possesses them he must turn them over to the local bishop within eight days after promulgation of this decree, so that they may be burned lest, be he a cleric or a layman, he be suspected until he is cleared of all suspicion."
Here we have the third principle outlined well. Keep the masses ignorant of the facts.
And the fact is, they did not want the Gospel in the hands of the masses. It was only then the "Gospel" (Good News) spread, buy putting it in the hands of the people.
There is truth in this:
There has always been "the true Gospel", sadly, it took some 1500 years for the people to know it.
Junior said:
It's simple, free your mind, your *** will follow.
So I see history repeating itself, yet again.
How do you control the masses?
God Bless
Till all are one.