Top of the Week: Here’s What We Know of the Shocking Daystar TV Claims
Following are snippets of the top stories posted over the past week on charismanews.com. We encourage you to visit the links to read the stories in full.
Here’s What We Know of the Shocking Daystar TV Claims
Over the past few weeks, Daystar Television Network—the Christian TV empire founded in 1997 by the late Marcus Lamb—made headlines over a shocking controversy involving the family-run organization.
Lamb’s son, Jonathan, and his wife, Suzy, allege their young daughter was molested by a family member and that the horrific ordeal was improperly handled. Those stunning allegations come amid a dispute over leadership changes within Daystar.
Marcus Lamb died in 2021 due to complications with COVID-19, leaving his wife, Joni, to serve as president of Daystar. Jonathan had served as a vice president but was demoted in April after purportedly declining to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
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Vatican to Open 5 ‘Sacred Portals’ This Christmas Eve
The Vatican’s announcement of opening sacred portals for the first time in 25 years has raised eyebrows and sparked intrigue. Set to coincide with the 2025 Jubilee Year, the ceremony involves the opening of five “Holy Doors” at ancient basilicas, with one “hypothetical” door at Italy’s Rebibbia prison. While the Catholic Church claims this tradition upholds a “doorway to salvation,” one can’t help but question: What exactly is the Catholic Church attempting to achieve with this elaborate ritual? And more importantly, where in the Bible is any of this remotely supported?
According to The Daily Mail, the Holy Doors are located at some of Rome’s most venerated basilicas, such as St. Peter’s and St. John Lateran, and are ceremonially bricked up and unsealed only during Jubilee Years. Pope Francis, who initiated the ritual on Dec. 2, describes it as a time to focus on hope and spiritual renewal amidst global crises like war, the lingering effects of COVID-19 and climate change. He has also extended this symbolic act to prisoners, aiming to deliver a message of hope. The Jubilee Year’s theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” reflects these aspirations.
While the Pope’s sentiment is admirable, the ritual itself is baffling. The “opening” of doors—requiring the removal of brick walls—is described as a “symbol of salvation,” but this imagery finds no precedent in Christian Scripture. Nowhere in the Bible is there a mention of “Holy Doors” that must be ceremonially opened to signal divine grace. If anything, Jesus Christ Himself declared, “I am the door. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9). This verse proves that access to salvation is found in faith in Christ, not through elaborate rituals or symbolic structures.
Are We Witnessing Bible Prophecy Unfold in Damascus?
The ongoing turmoil in Syria has once again turned global attention toward the ancient city of Damascus, raising a sobering question for Christians: Are we witnessing the fulfillment of biblical prophecy?
As the Syrian Civil War intensifies, reports indicate that Turkish-backed rebel forces, having already captured Aleppo and Hama, are now poised to move toward Damascus—the stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The Bible has long associated Damascus with prophetic warnings. Isaiah 17:1-3 declares: “See, Damascus will cease to be a city; it will become a ruinous heap.” This prophecy foretells the city’s destruction and desolation, a stark vision that resonates as rebel forces secure towns near Damascus, such as Izraa, and gain control of significant territory in the surrounding Daraa Governorate.
The Fall of Damascus: Prophetic Implications and the End Times
The collapse of the Syrian government and the end of Bashar al-Assad’s regime is not only a geopolitical turning point but a moment of profound prophetic significance. For believers who examine global events through the lens of Scripture, the situation in Syria—and particularly in Damascus—demands our attention.
A Biblical Perspective on Damascus
Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, occupies a central role in biblical prophecy. Isaiah 17:1 declares, “The burden against Damascus: ‘Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap.’” This prophecy remains unfulfilled for the time being, but the unraveling of Syria’s stability suggests the fulfillment may be imminent.
Netflix Christmas Movie Mocks Nativity, Jokes About Aborting Baby Jesus
Netflix’s latest offering, “That Christmas,” an animated Christmas movie geared toward families, makes a mockery of the nativity story in one scene garnering a lot of attention.
The movie centers on a ragtag group of kids, all led by a rebellious teenager named Bernadette. At one point in the film, the children come together to put on a school Christmas production written by a couple students who feel the biblical nativity story is too antiquated for modern culture.
When Bernadette introduces the program, she describes Jesus as “a cool dude” with a beard and long hair and “into woodwork,” calling him “a hipster basically.”
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