Rating: 
Summary: It takes a big man to admit to a mistake. . .
Review: . . .especially publically, and especially when such an admission costs money."Babylon Mystery Religion" is an Americanized, 20th century work based largely on the much more difficult "The Two Babylons" by Rev. Alexander Hislop. The basic thrust of the book is that the doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church are based on the pagan religion practiced by Nimrod and ancient Babylon. Upon being challenged by a friend familiar with ancient history, Woodrow went back, searched for facts, checked references, and came to the conclusion that Rev. Hislop's book -- and therefore his own earlier work -- was just plain unsupportable. Mr. Woodrow's reaction was twofold. He withdrew his earlier book from publication and he wrote a rather in-depth retraction, pointing out exactly where he had done wrong in his earlier writings. Like Augustine, in his "Retractions", Woodrow has come to realize that certain opinions held in his younger days needed to be corrected. Like Augustine, he corrected them. While one may still not agree with all of Mr. Woodrow's positions (this reviewer certainly does not) one must give him high marks for integrity.
Rating:
Summary: It takes a big man to admit to a mistake. . .
Review: . . .especially publically, and especially when such an admission costs money. "Babylon Mystery Religion" is an Americanized, 20th century work based largely on the much more difficult "The Two Babylons" by Rev. Alexander Hislop. The basic thrust of the book is that the doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church are based on the pagan religion practiced by Nimrod and ancient Babylon. Upon being challenged by a friend familiar with ancient history, Woodrow went back, searched for facts, checked references, and came to the conclusion that Rev. Hislop's book -- and therefore his own earlier work -- was just plain unsupportable. Mr. Woodrow's reaction was twofold. He withdrew his earlier book from publication and he wrote a rather in-depth retraction, pointing out exactly where he had done wrong in his earlier writings. Like Augustine, in his "Retractions", Woodrow has come to realize that certain opinions held in his younger days needed to be corrected. Like Augustine, he corrected them. While one may still not agree with all of Mr. Woodrow's positions (this reviewer certainly does not) one must give him high marks for integrity.
Rating: 
Summary: Greetings
Review: Hello. I have not read this book, nor do I plan to. I am grateful that someone did research Hislops The Two Babylons before I wasted my time to purchase it. I will say though that the seat of the beast is Rome and that the Dragon and Anti-christ or shall I say Devil, is the pope in the Flesh. This can be proven using Biblical overstanding with the help of a book by the name of National Sunday Law. It is actually more of a pamphlet than a book, very short, yet full of valuable information. I believe it can be purchased on Amazon. I give thanks to InI Emperor Haile Selassie I, THE Lamb that was slain and otherwise known as the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, JAH Rastafari. Anyone who reads the Bible for overstanding MUST accept the UNCONDITIONAL Davidic Covenant. The house of the Lamb and thus the Lion is the Bloodline of David, which is manifested in the flesh today in the form of the Ethiopian Royal Family. LET IT BE KNOWN that the Emperor Haile Selassie I is the IVERLASTING Ruler of the Throne. For it is written in the Bible that, Christ shall return in HIS Kingly Character, as a THIEF in the Night, and under a NEW name that shall be dreadful to the heathen.Check for yourself and study the Words and Works of HIS Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I and tell I if Righteousness can be uttered by the mouth of flesh. Noted Historian JA Rogers on Haile Selassie I : "There is no picture that can capture his spirit, as for a general discription of the man, he as truly been described as a black edition of the Christ." HA HA Edition. I think InI (you, me, us , we) need to recheck InI Ible (Bible) for the facts and sight up the Feet of Furnished Brass (Black) and the head of White Wool ( Ancient Black Man). Check ya Revelation. Just for the Downpressors (oppressors, racists, scorners, haters) I am not a Black Man. Transcend ya Overstanding. I just hope the Middlemen (amazon who ratifies the reviews) dont neglect this Truth. Atleast it will hit somebody's Iyes.
Rating:
Summary: Greetings
Review: I question whether or not I should buy this, given it's faulty premise..
Fact: Pagan Rome persecuted Christians over many centuries.
Fact: Pagan Rome "converted" to Christianity, but failed to
rid itself of it's Pagan trappings, which can still be
found in Rome today.
The bible teaches explicitly against idols, and learning any way of the heathen (Jeremiah 10). See also this giant list:
Exodus 23:24; 34:13; Leviticus 19:4;26:1,30;
Deuteronomy 7:5,25;12:3;29:17, Numbers 33:52;
Joshua 7:1-26; 1 Corinthians 10:7,14; 1 John 5:21;
Deuteronomy 4:16,23,25 .. etc, etc..
A great focus of the old testament was on Israel being disobedient by doing just that.
Many Catholics feel that they can get away with these same
things. One Catholic apologist wrote the following:
" [Regarding the people who see the RCC as Babylonian/Pagan, he says that they...]
concentrate on superficial similarities between Catholicism and the ancient mystery religions, particularly the Babylonian cults.... no matter how weak these arguments [which Keating made no real attempt to refute, he mearly scoffs] in the abstract, they influence people. Should they? No, because we should expect true religion to be a fulfillment of, but not a complete contradiction of, mankind's earlier stabs at religious truth... on the positive side, ancient religions were remote preparations for Christ's coming... we should expect that they religion that is the fullness of truth, coming in the 'fullness of time', would incorporate the good points of earlier religions while rejecting their errors..."
- Catholicism and Fundamentalism (Karl Keating - Chapter 12)
"Fundamentalists forget that even paganism had some truth mixed in with its error. Christianity took those elements of truth, removed erroneous associations so that they ceased to be pagan.. it was a matter of outright replacement, not compromise."
- Catholicism and Fundamentalism (Karl Keating - Chapter 11)
Who do you trust? God or man?
Does $10 words, repackaging and fancy clothing make Paganism go away? No. I don't think so.
Catholics also like to throw excuses like pointing out how Israel was commanded to make physical objects of worship (e.g. Tabernacle, Ark, etc) by God.. when what they fail to realize are these items of Mosiac Law were a shadow of the good things to come: Jesus Christ.
"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins." (Hebrews 10:1-2)
As clearly stated, "the law" of Moses and the endless Jewish rituals and sacrifices foreshadowed Christ's coming, not the curiously named "Mystery Religions" which foreshadow the "Mystery Babylon" of Revelation 17
God gave Israel executive orders to create such items of worship because his Word communicates to us in forms of TYPES and SYMBOLS:
"I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets."
(Hosea 12:10)
There's an old saying: The Old Testament is the New Testament CONSEALED, and the New Testament is the Old Testament REVEALED.
Example (one of many):
Jesus is the Lamb of God, who was prefigured by the sacrifice of the lamb outlined in the seemingly "dry" "dull" "boring" pages of the Old Testament.
Therefore the Jewish rituals surrounding such animal sacrifices served a prophetic purpose and were permitted and designed by God Himself.
There is no such "executive order" or "special permission" given to the RCC.
There is no new Revelation in the RCC.. only a return to religious ritualism serving no purpose in revealing God's future project for His Creation.
Who do you trust? God or man?
Sure the RCC has been around a long time.. sounds impressive.. until you realize that paganism been around for much longer.
I've presenting the above reasoning for years, and I've yet to have a catholic give me an answer (as is the case here, and as confirmed by others here).
Rating: 
Summary: What in the World?
Review: It is with shock that I learned Mr. Woodrow has retracted the major points in his original book. There can be no doubt that Sunday, Easter, All Saint's Day (or the Eve of All Hallow's Day), Lent, Christmas, and so much more are very much pagan in origin. There also can be no doubt that as the institution that would eventually grow and become the Roman Catholic Church began to assume more influence and power, it freely adopted and adapted from the other religions around it. It's very governmental structure is adopted from the old Roman political institution. The Pope is nothing more than the current caesar but now cast in a religious as well as a political clothing. The Word of God condemns Easter sun-rise services in no uncertain terms (Ezekiel 8.16)and is not too kind with Christmas
(Jeremiah 10.3). Speaking in a dual sense (a prophecy that both has already come to pass and will yet come to pass in the future), God tells Daniel that a certain political/religious leader will think to change times and laws. This is exactly what the Roman Catholic Church did when it took upon itself the right to move the Sabbath from the seventh day to the eighth day. There is not time or space to go into detail about the truth of Alexander Hislop's work but it is to be praised not condemned. A true child of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel seeks the praise of the Eternal not man. Sorry, Mr. Woodrow, you were right the first time. You are wrong now.
Rating:
Summary: Integrity is not dead!
Review: It takes a big man to admit that he was wrong, especially when such an admission will cost him "friends", supporters, and financial remuneration.
Mr. Woodrow is a big man for writing this book and admitting that he was unknowingly deceived by the pseudo-scholarship silliness put forward by Alexander Hislop. He is also a big man for withdrawing his previous book from print -- at enormous financial cost.
No, Mr. Woodrow is not a Roman Catholic. Those that now accuse him of "selling out to Rome", etc., seem to be more interested in spreading their polemic than researching the actual facts of the matter.
Anyhow, this theologian congratulates Mr. Woodrow for his courage, his integrity, and his Christian witness -- even if there are details on which we would (sharply) disagree.
Rating:
Summary: Integrity is not dead!
Review: It takes a big man to admit that he was wrong, especially when such an admission will cost him "friends", supporters, and financial remuneration.
Mr. Woodrow is a big man for writing this book and admitting that he was unknowingly deceived by the pseudo-scholarship silliness put forward by Alexander Hislop. He is also a big man for withdrawing his previous book from print -- at enormous financial cost.
No, Mr. Woodrow is not a Roman Catholic. Those that now accuse him of "selling out to Rome", etc., seem to be more interested in spreading their polemic than researching the actual facts of the matter.
Anyhow, this theologian congratulates Mr. Woodrow for his courage, his integrity, and his Christian witness -- even if there are details on which we would (sharply) disagree.
Rating: 
Summary: Courageously honest!
Review: It takes a very honest, very humble man to not only admit his mistakes, but publicly refute them. We can only hope that this brave effort will inspire other pseudo-historians to get on the right track.Comparable, in many ways, to McGoldrick's _Baptist Successionism: A Crucial Question in Baptist History_.
Rating:
Summary: Nimrod here, Nimrod there, Nimrod everywhere!
Review: It's not often an author has the courage to publish a catalogue of how he was hoodwinked by pseudo-scholarship and bunkum history, yet Ralph Woodrow has done just this in "Bablyon Connection?" That he has done so in the hot-house of anti-catholic polemic is even more remarkable. This short reflection pours cold water on many outrageous and blasphemous "religion of Babylon" claims against the church founded by Christ. Not that Woodrow has swum the Tiber, mind you -- he still doesn't understand Catholic devotions to the mother of Jesus (which are utterly Christo-centric) and is critical of prayers like the rosary (p116). He claims, for example, that the Bible doesn't say Mary if "full of grace" (as in the Ave) but that this refers to Jesus (Jn 1:14). Perhaps his English translation of Lk 1:28 is less faithful to the Greek, which read 'chaire, kecharitomenai, ho Kurios meta sou' -- to which the catholic version of the angelic salutation is faithful. All said, this is a worthwhile booklet to get, if only to see just how astonishingly bizarre (and groundless) the inventions of people like Hislop, Woodrow (in his earlier work), Freke and numerous others are. Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: This is how a true Christian operates!
Review: Many years ago, Ralph Woodrow made a serious mistake. In his earnest desire to root out paganism in the Body of Christ, he took extremely seriously the work of the late Alexander Hislop "The Two Babylons". Mr. Woodrow took this work so seriously that he wrote his own work "Babylon Mystery Religion". Being that Mr. Woodrow is a 20th century American, rather than a 19th century Englishman, many American readers found his work more accessible than Rev. Hislop's. Then, something happened. Mr. Woodrow discovered, through a long process of prayer and historical research, that Rev. Hislop's book was inaccurate -- inaccurate to the point of being fraudulant. Mr. Woodrow COULD have taken the easy way out. After all, anti-Catholic books sell like hotcakes in certain sectors. But Mr. Woodrow has the true integrity of a Christian gentleman. When he discovered -- beyond a shadow of a doubt -- that the information in his earlier work was incorrect, he withdrew that book from publication (at some personal expense) and wrote this volume to explain the whys and wherefores. The result was predictable. Many of Mr. Woodrow's "friends" turned on him. (Just take a look at the tenor of some of the other reviews, and you'll see what I mean!) But other Christians, recognizing integrity in a man (whom they still disagree with on other issues -- like myself) choose to give credit where credit is due. Now I am not a Roman Catholic -- and never have been. But as a trained historian, I have been shocked and saddened at much of what purports to be research directed against the Catholic Church. I'm glad to see one man willing to say "I was wrong". God bless you, Mr. Woodrow. May you increase in faith and godly wisdom.
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