Month: September 2024

Brussels mayor praises ‘fantastic’ Salaam-cola: the drink that ‘doesn’t support genocide’

Screenshot via salaamcola on Instagram

Brussels mayor Philippe Close and his Socialist Party have faced criticism over promoting an alternative, pro-Palestinian soft drink brand.

With local elections set for October 13, Close is seeking support for a second term.

He has sought votes among the city’s large Muslim population, many of whom are pro-Palestinian.

On September 16, a clip appeared on social media in which Close was asked if he ever drank ‘Salaam-Cola’, a self-described alternative to US soft drinks.

“Never”, Close responded, “but as a mayor, you have to try everything.”

He proceeded to taste it, and announced the drink was a “fantastic cola, without sugar, even.”

The person filming the clip then observed “It’s the drink that doesn’t support a genocide,” to which Close smiled.

Immediately behind Close in the clip, a banner stood, calling on those who read it to stand “on the right side of history”.

Another video, shared by centre-right MP Theo Francken, showed Nawal Ben Hamou, another Socialist Party member and Secretary of State for the Brussels-Capital Region, also drinking and promoting Salaam Cola.

Francken argued that promoting private companies violated ministerial ethics rules.

“As long as you are a PS [Socialist Party] member, are ‘on the right side of history’ and are for Palestine and against those genocidal Jews of course… anything goes,” added Francken.

On September 18, both Philippe Close and Nawal Ben Hamou reacted to the controversy, playing it down.

Philippe Close explained that he found Theo Francken’s reaction “crazy”, “ridiculous” and “extremely excessive”.

“As mayor, I find it normal to support the people of Brussels and the local economy, especially when profits are donated to humanitarian causes,” he told local news TV station bx1.

He went on to say that he had “never heard” that advertisements for private companies were banned, and said that Francken promotes multinationals himself.

Nawal Ben Hamou’s office did not comment, saying it was “a non-event”. On her X account, she posted pictures of Francken opening two local stores in his home town and a picture of him when visiting DHL, dressed up in the company outfit.

Salaam Cola describes itself as symbolising “the resistance against brands who finance war crimes or are built on stolen Palestinian land.” They claim ten per cent of profits are used to help people in Palestine.

Taglines on the brand’s website and social media pages include: “It’s not just a drink, it’s a movement”; “Make a difference” and “Taste the freedom”.

One image on Instagram showed the text,”Boycott Coke and Pepsi, and drink Salaam Cola”, followed by a Palestinian flag.

Earlier this year, Hassan Wadi, spokesperson for the Canadian-based NGO Human Concern International (HCI), announced a partnership between his NGO and Salaam Cola, saying ten per cent of the drink’s proceeds would go to meaningful charitable causes chosen by HCI.

“Not only are you helping your Palestinian brothers and sisters but you are also supporting Muslim-owned businesses who are truly making a difference in this world,” said Wadi.

Brussels Signal wrote to Salaam Cola, asking for the precise nature of its support for Palestinians, given the commotion about the Brussels mayor.

The website’s owner, Colin Van Baelen, replied, saying “Commotion by a soft drink that donates some to charity?”

“We donate to the affected people who were able to escape to Egypt. Belgium recognises Palestine as a state so we have absolutely no worries.”

“As a journalist, I would do a bit more research and see who really controls Gaza and West Bank completely through an apartheid system. I can possibly forward you some legit journalists who have done some real homework regarding the event?”

Salaam Cola was created by UK resident and businesswoman Aykiz Shah, in 2022.

In 2003, a Belgium-based entrepreneur, Hassan Syed, requested a trademark application for Salam Cola, with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The Belgian brand was written with one -a and doesn’t exist anymore, neither does it appear to have ties with Salaam Cola, despite having pitched similar ‘anti-imperialist’ branding.

Brussels mayor praises ‘fantastic’ Salaam-cola: the drink that ‘doesn’t support genocide’ (brusselssignal.eu)

UK: Violent Transgender Child Rapist Has Prison Sentence Increased After Threatening to Mutilate Warden’s Genitals

A trans-identified male currently in prison after being convicted of the rape of two young girls has had his sentence extended by 33 months for threatening to murder and maim the genitals of officers. Marcia Walker, born Mark, 51, sent a series of voicemails, emails, and letters to prison staff in which he threatened to cut off a man’s penis, place his genitals in a blender, bomb and cut the brakes on his car, and burn down his house.

Last week, Guildford Crown Court heard how Walker phoned Crimestoppers from HMP Frankland in Durham on January 24 and falsely claimed there was a bomb in the staff parking lot. He also sent numerous threatening communications to staff, including one in which he said he wanted to murder the warden.

Walker had also physically assaulted two prison officers.

He was charged with two counts of racially aggravated public disorder, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, two charges of sending malicious communications, as well as sending a communication threatening serious harm. He also admitted communicating false information about the bomb with intent. The total amount of time added to his sentence adds up to 33 months.

One prison employee told The Daily Mail that Walker is kept isolated for the safety of those around him. The outlet utilized “she/her pronouns for Walker throughout the article.

“[He] makes life difficult for [himself],” said the employee. Both the source and the publication referred to Walker with feminine pronouns. “If [he] just tried to get on with people, [his] time inside would go a lot quicker.”

Walker is legally recognized as “female” by prison authorities, and though he has made attempts to be transferred to a women’s correctional facility, he has been deemed to dangerous to be among women.

The Sun has previously revealed that prison administration is unwilling to transfer Walker due to the extreme danger he poses, and that he is instead being kept in total segregation in the high-security men’s facility.

An anonymous source at HMP Frankland told the Sun that the male inmates are “furious” over Walker’s treatment, as the rest of the inmates must be kept locked in their cells while Walker is eating or bathing.

Using feminine pronouns for Walker, the source stated: “She has to be treated as a woman but cannot be moved to a female prison because she poses a risk. And, as she’s legally a woman, she must be kept apart from male inmates.”

Marcia Walker, born Mark Walker, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for the 2003 rape of two young girls — one of whom was just 4 years old at the time. In addition to the assaults, he was also convicted on multiple counts related to the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse images.

Since his initial sentencing, Walker has repeatedly received additional prison time for bomb and death threats made against government officials and the prisons he has been incarcerated at.

Walker was released from prison in 2012, just 8 years into his sentence, and sent to a half-way house in Windsor. While there, he claimed there was a bomb in the residence, and was taken back to prison for his malicious hoax. After arriving, he called in a number of other death threats and bomb hoaxes, including one against then-Home Secretary Theresa May. In 2013, he was handed an additional 6-year sentence as a result of his violent threats.

In 2015, he would be given another 4 years time after making similar threats while incarcerated at Parkhurst prison, calling Crimestoppers and claiming there was a nail bomb in the parking lot, and a bomb at the Prison Governor’s home.

Two years later, Walker, suddenly identifying as a woman, made even more bomb threats while incarcerated at HMP Long Lartin, claiming it was due to a delay in getting “gender affirming” care. He was sentenced to an additional 5 years.

In 2021, Walker made headlines for assaulting prison staff after they confiscated multiple prohibited items from his cell at the maximum security Frankland institution in Durham.

Walker became enraged prison staff confiscated National Geographic magazines from him after they were found to contain naked depictions of children. Due to the violent threats he made, prison officers then objected to Walker having razorblades in his cell, concerned for the safety of staff and inmates. Walker then physically attacked a guard, claiming his “gender dysphoria” would be exacerbated if he was not allowed to shave.

However, Walker was not initially given additional time in custody after the assault, but was instead released into the community on a 15-month suspended sentence and sent to a halfway house in Surrey.

Just weeks later, Walker was arrested once again and sent back to prison for breaching the conditions of his release after seeking out images of naked babies in an Oxford bookstore.

https://reduxx.info/uk-trans-identified-male-pedophile-has-prison-sentence-increased-after-threatening-to-mutilate-wardens-genitals/

Spanish Government To Restrict Freedom of Information To ‘Save Democracy’

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez,screen grab youtube

Spain’s socialist government has unveiled radical plans to regulate the press to combat so-called ‘disinformation.’ Critics have branded the move as “censorship” and an attempt by prime minister Pedro Sánchez to distract attention from an ongoing scandal involving his wife.

The Democratic Action Plan will create a register of media outlets operating in Spain, something Sánchez claimed was necessary because democracy is “being besieged” by “campaigns of disinformation and hoaxes.”

El Debate says the registry will allow the government to dictate who media outlets’ shareholders can be, their sources of financing, and how much government institutions will spend on advertising with them. Any media outlet not on the register will likely be branded “pseudo-media,” a term used by the socialist government and its supporters to discredit any new outlets that deviate from the establishment line.

Culture minister Ernest Urtasun claimed the registry will be impartial because it will be drawn up by an independent body, the National Commission for Markets and Competition. However, El Debate points out that the president of the body, Cani Fernández, was an advisor to Sánchez’s cabinet in 2020.

In a parliamentary debate on Wednesday, the leader of the opposition centre-right Partido Popular, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, accused Sánchez of having a “banana-republic conception of power.” He accused the prime minister of

Censorship and persecution of anyone who dares to criticise you. We haven’t seen anything like this since Franco.

The plan was proposed amid an investigation into Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, who is accused of influence-peddling and corruption. The PM has blamed what he calls “far-right” online media for pursuing the case.

The campaign by Sánchez against supposed “misinformation” has intensified since he was called—and refused—to testify before judge Juan Carlos Peinado, making him the first sitting Spanish prime minister ever to refuse such cooperation. He later announced he would sue Peinado for alleged malfeasance. A government spokesperson accused the judge of acting “for political motives and outside the law.”

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/spanish-government-to-restrict-freedom-of-information-to-save-democracy/

Germany: Another explosion rocks Cologne’s city center, bombs and hostage-taking plague NRW

Police Cologne

On Wednesday morning, another explosion rocked the city center of Cologne, this time destroying a clothing store and slightly injuring one person. This follows a similar explosive attack on a dance club on Monday, just a few hundred meters away, according to Mandiner.

The attack is just one of a wave of bombings in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), where Cologne is located, in recent months. Police are investigating a link with the notorious Mocro Mafia, which is based out of the Netherlands.

In the latest case, the clothing store “LFDY” was mostly destroyed in the bombing attack, which was carried out by unknown perpetrators. According to the Kölner Stadtanzeiger, the clothing store’s entrance was “massively damaged.”

The detonation occurred at around 5 a.m. on Ehrenstrasse, with officers sealing off the area to conduct a forensic investigation. They also asked residents from across the city to avoid the area.

Police suspect the Mocro Mafia is behind bombing wave

Previous bombings have occurred in July and August, including a large explosion in a commercial building in downtown Düsseldorf on July 11. Nobody was injured then, but investigators said they were checking a connection with the Dutch Mocro Mafia. The Moroccan-based gang is well known for contract killings and carrying out such brazen attacks in the Netherlands, and it is currently expanding its influence into Germany. Similar bombings took place in Engelskirchen and Duisburg in the summer, along with a hostage-taking incident in early July in Cologne-Rodenkirchen.

The hostage-taking incident occurred after the Mocro Mafia delivered 300 kilograms of marijuana to Cologne, at which point, a rival drug organization stole it, according to German news outlet WDR. The Moroccans used bombing attacks, took hostages, and employed other brutal methods to get back the marijuana.

In addition, a deadly bomb attack in Solingen, which was also the scene of the Islamic terror stabbing that cost lives last month, is believed to have been carried out on orders from the Mocro Mafia, which detonated too early, killing the 17-year-old ordered to deliver the bomb.

On Monday, an explosion tore through the Cologne nightclub “Vanity,” with video of the incident going viral on social media. In that attack, a 53-year-old man was slightly injured. Police are searching for a suspect caught on surveillance video who was filmed lighting a plastic bag containing accelerant before the attack.

https://rmx.news/article/germany-another-explosion-rocks-colognes-city-center-bombs-and-hostage-taking-plague-nrw/

The Vatican now considers Europe’s Islamization “inevitable”

Nosta Lgia

by Giulio Meotti

Benjamin Franklin is credited with creating the expression “nothing in life is inevitable except death and taxes”. Today, however, to a cardinal candidate to become Pope, the Islamization of Europe is also inevitable.

I met Cardinal Christoph Schönborn. I think it was in 2004. We were in Rimini and I had the opportunity to talk to him for an hour. We talked about relativism, Europe, the cultural crisis. A cultured cardinal, pro Israel, aware of the fracture we were experiencing although at the time it was only the beginning. This is why I was surprised by what Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, a former student of Joseph Ratzinger and today one of the cardinals most admired by the reigning Pontiff, just stated to a French magazine. According to him, faced with the growth of Islam in many historically Christian nations, the decline of Europe should be considered “inevitable.”

“We have to accept the decline of Europe, it is an undeniable continental movement,” Schönborn told Famille Chrétienne. “In 20 years, the European population will not be the same as today and it is not the same as it was 50 years ago. This is inevitable, because of the declining birth rate in Europe, immigration and the growing presence of Islam.”

What does “inevitable” mean?

“Islam can conquer France, Belgium, Sweden, England,” Ayaan Hirsi Ali declares this week to Spiked. The former head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, Hans-Georg Maaßen, has warned that “Europeans will succumb to Islam.” And the famous Spanish novelist Arturo Perez Reverte asks: “Will I live to see Europe transformed into an Islamic continent?”.

But if Schönborn says so, is that a premonition or admission of the ongoing submission? Or is it the implicit acceptance of the proposal of the famous German architect Joachim Reinig, who told the Catholic newspaper Tagespost that to integrate Islam in Europe we need to demolish churches and replace them with “more visible mosques”?

I was surprised to discover so much defeatism about Europe while the Pope was engaged in “interreligious dialogue” in Indonesia (a country that is 90 percent Islamic and not at all a symbol of “harmony”), because the tone of Schönborn’s previous interview with Der Standard was very different: “Take a look at the Viennese schools and you will see how the demographic developments of Christian children and Muslim children are divergent. This is a serious issue. There is no shortage of Islamic voices that say that Europe is a ripe fruit for Islam.” And what a scandal that had generated.

Schönborn’s extreme realism surely derives from the situation in his city. The Krone Zeitung published shocking data: “In 2046, one in three Viennese will be Muslim.”

The “feeling of dispossession,” which was the sad prerogative of the Jews until the last century, has spread throughout Europe.

But to say that Europe is a “ripe fruit” is not equivalent to pronouncing that we Europeans must accept Islamization and decline as “inevitable.”

We should listen to Mosab Hassan Youssef, the son of one of the founders of Hamas, who said to Le Figaro: “Islamism is a global phenomenon that advances hidden under a victim mentality, that invades Europe and that will be very difficult to get rid of. Personally, I want Europe to resist.”

“Resisting” is very different from “inevitable”.

How sad to see the Vatican surrendering on Europe.

The Vatican now considers Europe’s Islamization “inevitable” | Israel National News – Arutz Sheva

German State TV said actor who turned against AfD during show was ‘ordinary citizen’

Screen grab “Die 100”
Screen grab X

An amateur actor who underwent a radical change of heart regarding the hard-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) during a TV show was described as a “clerk” by German public broadcaster ARD, it has been revealed. Other “ordinary citizens” who took part in the same show have been shown to be amateur politicians affiliated with various left-wing parties.

The programme, aired on September 16, came less than a week before the regional elections in the State of Brandenburg where AfD and the Social Democrats (SPD) are competing for first place.

In the show The 100 – what moves Germany 100 people were asked to answer the question: “Is the AfD a problem for democracy?” by standing in one of six fields to indicate varying degrees of agreement or disagreement. After the participants had made their choices, two journalists gave talks presenting their arguments regarding AfD.

The participants were then asked again to choose the field they felt best reflected their positions.

Initially, 37 out of the 100 had said the AfD was no problem for democracy. After the journalists’ speeches, that was down to 28 while 68 said the AfD was indeed a problem for democracy. The rest were undecided.

In the final scene of the show, host Ingo Zamperoni asked participant Michael Schleiermacher, presented as a 54-year-old clerk from Kaiserslautern, why he had changed his view from minus 3 “no problem” to plus 3 “very much a problem”.

“That is easy to say,” replied Schleiermacher. “The AfD is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. We do not know what they are planning.” Schleiermacher added: “this show which traces everything, makes you think differently”.

It turned out Schleiermacher was not just a clerk from Kaiserslautern but also a paid amateur actor who has participated in many TV productions, including several ARD productions, as State TV watchdog ÖRR Blog revealed on X.

A video posted by Stefan Homburg, professor of finance at Hannover University, showed Schleiermacher in various other roles, including music videos. Homburg also shared a link to Schleiermacher’s page on the website of casting agency Stagepool, which provides paid amateur actors for TV productions.

Schleiermacher posted details about his appearance on The 100 on his Instagram profile.

He is apparently not the only “ordinary” participant whose identity has raised questions. A woman was found to be a prolific extra in TV productions. A third participant was shown to be a former politician for the Communist party Die Linke who is now running for the SPD. As of September 18, there were claims that 11 more of the 100 participants were either amateur actors or politicians affiliated with various left-wing parties such as SPD, the Green Party, and Die Linke.

Critics said ARD was passing off paid actors and politicians as ordinary people in an effort to manipulate public opinion. Katja Adler, member of the German parliament for the Liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), called the affair “the high point of propaganda in the history of public broadcasting”. Klaus Gagel, an AfD politician, spoke of the “German Democratic Republic 2.0”.

Brussels Signal reached out to ARD as well as the production company behind The 100, Ansager & Schnipselmann. A spokesperson for NDR, one of the constituent TV stations of ARD, said NDR rejected the allegations. “No actors or actresses are used. The programme focuses on people from the population who freely express their opinions. Anyone can apply to take part in the show. Participants will only find out which topic will be covered shortly before the programme is recorded. NDR does not exclude people who take part as private individuals – not even because of secondary employment in the performing arts,” she continued.

Similar statements were released to German news outlets covering the story.

Brussels Signal also contacted Michael Schleiermacher with questions about his engagement, but at the time of writing had not received a response.

According to website Quotenmeter 1.8 million people tuned in to The 100 – a comparably low turnout.

https://brusselssignal.eu/2024/09/german-state-tv-said-actor-who-turned-against-afd-during-show-was-ordinary-citizen

Syrian vandalises Luther memorial in Wittenberg, Germany

Wikimedia Commons , W. Bulach, CC-BY-SA-4.0

Following the damage to the Luther memorial on the market square in Wittenberg in Saxony-Anhalt, the police have found the suspected perpetrator. Surprise! It’s not a Peter, Paul or Jan.

‘A man’ had climbed onto the Luther monument on the market square in Wittenberg in March this year and struck the Luther statue with an object. The back of the statue, which stands on a pedestal and is covered by a canopy, was damaged. A witness tried to stop the perpetrator by grabbing his bicycle. But the man let go of the statue, grabbed his bike and fled.

Thanks to the witness and the intensive police investigation, the perpetrator was finally caught. And – surprise, surprise – it was not a Paul or Peter, but according to the police, a 28-year-old Syrian who is believed to be responsible for the damage to the Luther memorial in Wittenberg. After extensive investigations by the state security service, the suspect was identified, according to a joint statement by the public prosecutor’s office and the Dessau-Roßlau police station. Preliminary proceedings have been initiated against the man for damage to property.

‘The suspected perpetrator was identified in the course of an extensive investigation conducted by the Dessau-Roßlau police’s Specialist Investigation Unit 5 (State Security). After initial indications in April 2024, the suspicion of a 28-year-old man of Syrian origin living in Wittenberg was confirmed in July 2024. The suspect was clearly recognised by a witness on the basis of photographs of the crime. The bicycle belonging to the perpetrator at the time of the offence was also found and was unequivocally attributed to the suspect. In a subsequent interrogation of the accused in August 2024, the 28-year-old admitted to the offence.’

The Syrian Luther attacker, who lives in Wittenberg, confessed to the offence. The police and the public prosecutor’s office will now examine what further steps will be taken against the perpetrator. In a functioning constitutional state that seriously fulfils its duty and acts for the good of the country and its citizens, there is really no question as to what should happen.

Nach Angriff auf Luther-Denkmal: Mutmaßlicher Täter identifiziert » Journalistenwatch

Germany: Syrian douses girl with petrol and sets her on fire because he couldn’t cope with the separation and wanted to bring ‘suffering to her family’

The flat burned out completely after the petrol attack, almost 100 firefighters were deployed
Photo: Freiwillige Feuerwehr Menden

As the gaunt defendant aged 24 steps through the door, the victim’s mother screams at him, tears of despair streaming down her face: ‘Why did you do this to my Malak?’ she shouts repeatedly in Syrian.

Shortly afterwards, public prosecutor Milena Stoschek explains what she means by this. Hamza A. (24) is said to have doused the woman’s daughter ( aged 17) with petrol and set her on fire – Malak died in hospital 17 days after the agonising attack.
According to the indictment, the Syrian drove to the family in Menden ( North Rhine-Westphalia) on March 22 with four five-litre canisters; the girl’s older sister, Nahed A., was his former fiancée. Malak opened the front door at 10.05 p.m. – completely ‘helpless and defenceless’ according to Stoschek: ‘She was so engulfed by the fire that her entire body was in flames.’ Around 100 firefighters were eventually able to extinguish the fire in the apartment block. A rescue helicopter was unable to arrive as the weather was too bad. An ambulance took Malak to a specialised clinic in Dortmund. Six other people suffered minor injuries.

The accused is said to have committed the horrific crime because he could not cope with the separation from his sister and wanted to bring ‘suffering to her family’. The prosecutor sees four elements of murder as having been realised – malice, cruelty, dangerous means and base motives. She also charged him with arson causing death, assault and causing an explosion.
It was apparently not the first time that Hamza A. had been violent. In 2023, he allegedly tied up his fiancée Nahed and choked her to unconsciousness.

The accused is facing a life sentence. His defence lawyer Nils Schiering announced that his client would make a full statement on the allegations on the next day of the trial. He said: ‘My client is not the evil firebug that he is portrayed as in the indictment.’

Tödliche Feuer-Attacke: Syrer trifft Mutter des Opfers im Gericht | Regional | BILD.de

Pope Francis doubles down, says ‘diversity of religious identities is a gift of God’

Pope Francis addressing the Med24 meeting via video Archdiocese of Tiranë–Durrës/Facebook

Pope Francis told an ecumenical group of young people today that their diversity of religious identities “is a gift from God.”

In a video message released September 17, Pope Francis addressed assembled youth of the “Med24” meeting in Tirana, which has the theme of “Pilgrims of Hope, Builders of Peace.”

The meeting forms part of a weeklong Mediterranean series in Albania. The previous iteration, which Pope Francis attended in person, was held in Marseille, France in September 2023.

Aimed at young people, the meetings focus on promoting messages of inter-religious harmony, “building peace” and the issue of migration.

Diverse religions ‘a gift of God’

Addressing the gathering in his video, Francis hailed them as “pilgrims of hope, walking in search of the truth, living our faith and building peace – because peace needs to be built.”

“God loves every man; He makes no differences among us,” he commented. “The fraternity between the five shores of the Mediterranean that you are establishing it is the answer – really it’s an answer – the best answer we can offer to the conflicts and the deadly indifferences.”

Urging a growth in “unity,” Francis described the varied religious backgrounds of the participants as a “gift of God,” stating:

I invite you to learn together to discern the signs of the times. Contemplate the difference of your traditions like a richness, a richness God wants to be.

Unity is not uniformity, and the diversity of your cultural and religious identities is a gift of God. Unity in diversity. Let mutual esteem grow among you, following the witness of your forefathers. {Emphasis not original}

Francis encouraged the conference participants to prioritize care of migrants, the poor, and “all those who suffer to be regarded as a burden or a trouble.”

He ended with a call for them to imitate Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart and referenced the influx of immigrants coming to Italy and Europe via the Mediterranean Sea. Francis called on the youth to be “unresting pilgrims of hope and to follow the signs of God, so that Mediterranean area may recover his best feature: the expression of fraternity and peace, and it could be no longer a graveyard!”

Catholic teaching

In contrast to Francis’ remarks, the Church teaches that all souls must “belong” to the Church to be saved: “All are obliged to belong to the Catholic Church in order to be saved.” {Baltimore Catechism Q 166.}

The Catholic Church also notes that it is possible for those remaining outside the Church “through no grave fault of their own” and who are somehow unaware that the Church is the true Church, to still be saved “by making use of the graces which God gives them.” However, salvation in these cases of “invincible ignorance” is not found through other churches, but is through the Catholic Church as the channel of grace, as taught by St. Thomas Aquinas.

Pope Leo XII pronounced the primacy of the Catholic Church clearly in his 1824 encyclical letter Ubi Primum:

It is impossible for the most true God, who is Truth Itself, the best, the wisest Provider, and the Rewarder of good men, to approve all sects who profess false teachings which are often inconsistent with one another and contradictory, and to confer eternal rewards on their members. For we have a surer word of the prophet, and in writing to you We speak wisdom among the perfect; not the wisdom of this world but the wisdom of God in a mystery.

In 1832, Pope Gregory XVI subsequently wrote his encyclical Mirari Vos condemning the error of “indifferentism.” He warned that:

This perverse opinion is spread on all sides by the fraud of the wicked who claim that it is possible to obtain the eternal salvation of the soul by the profession of any kind of religion, as long as morality is maintained. Surely, in so clear a matter, you will drive this deadly error far from the people committed to your care. With the admonition of the apostle that “there is one God, one faith, one baptism” may those fear who contrive the notion that the safe harbor of salvation is open to persons of any religion whatever.”

Singapore and Abu Dhabi

Francis’ comments today are quite representative of his controversial February 2019 Abu Dhabi declaration on Human Fraternity, a document described as seeking to “overturn the doctrine of the Gospel” due to its promotion of equality of religions in a form of “fraternity.”

The Abu Dhabi text attests that “the pluralism and the diversity of religions” are “willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings” – a statement that contradicts Catholic teaching. Astana’s Bishop Athanasius Schneider has said that by implementing the Abu Dhabi document without correcting its erroneous affirmation on the diversity of religions, “men in the Church not only betray Jesus Christ as the only Savior of mankind and the necessity of His Church for eternal salvation, but also commit a great injustice and sin against love of neighbor.”

He later added, “It contradicts Divine Revelation to say that, just as God positively wills the diversity of the male and female sexes and the diversity of nations, so in the same way he also wills the diversity of religions.”

Schneider did win a private clarification from Francis in March 2019, when Schneider recounted that Francis stated “that the diversity of religions is only the permissive will of God. He stressed this and told us: you can say this, too, that the diversity of religions is the permissive will of God.”

Schneider pointed out to Francis that diversity in sexes is the direct or positive will of God, while the diversity in religions cannot be similarly described.

However, though Schneider obtained a private clarification on the matter, the Vatican has not issued a public statement or correction of the passages. Schneider later commented:

One cannot justify the theory that the diversity of religions is positively willed by God by adducing the truth of the deposit of faith regarding free will as a gift of God the Creator. God has granted man free will precisely so that he may worship God alone, Who is the Triune God. God has not given man free will in order to worship idols, or to deny or blaspheme His Incarnate Son Jesus Christ, Who said: “He who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (Jn 3:18).

Francis’ comments to the youth in Albania come less than a week after he caused controversy with similar remarks promoting religious pluralism.

Addressing an inter-religious gathering of young people in Singapore during his Asia voyage, Francis stated:

Every religion is a way to arrive at God. There are different languages to arrive at God, but God is God for all. And how is God God for all? We are all sons and daughters of God. But my god is more important than your god, is that true?

There is only one God and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, they are different paths.

The comments caused instant outrage and consternation, with millions of Catholics viewing Francis’ remarks in recent days. He has since been accused of promoting religious pluralism, religious indifference and of being “objectively heretical” in his words.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-pope-francis-diversity-of-religious-identities-is-a-gift-of-god/?utm_source=featured-news&utm_campaign=usa

Mass Immigration is DESTROYING Britain. Worse Than World War Two

NCF Senior Fellow Rafe Heydel-Mankoo joined Talk TV to discuss the official report by the Office for Budget Responsibility – the public body that acts as the Government’s fiscal watchdog – which confirms what millions of Britons have long suspected: low-skilled mass immigration to Britain has been an economic catastrophe. The British people were betrayed and lied to be a generation of politicians, civil servants and their supporters in the media.