Dennis on: "Diabolical Mimicry"

The father Tertullian  used the diabolical mimicry excuse to explain the close similarity
 between Christianity and the pre-existing cults at the time. 

"The devil, whose business is to pervert the truth mimics the exact circumstances of the Divine Sacraments. He baptises his believers and promises forgiveness of  sins from the Sacred Fount, and thereby initiates them into the religion of Mithras. Thus he celebrates the oblation of bread, and brings in the symbol of resurrection. Let us therefore acknowledge the craftiness of the devil, who copies certain things of those that be Divine".

The similarity between Christianity and the Pagan Mysteries (Osirus-Dionysus, Horus, Mythras, Iris etc) so disturbed some of the early Christian fathers, such as Justin Martyr (100 -165 CE), that some of them have to resort to the most bizarre of reason to explain the similarity to the Pagan cults. This is what Celsus had to say about early Christianity;

"Are these distinctive happenings unique to the Christians - and if so, how are they unique? Or are ours to be accounted myths and theirs believed? What reasons do the Christians give for the distinctiveness of their beliefs? In truth there is nothing at all unusual about what the Christians believes, except that the believe it to the exclusion of more comprehensive truths about God".

 http://www.nairaland.com/113860/origin-christianity-diabolical-mimicry-anticipation

According to the early church apologists, Satan has been copying and anticipating God's every move in history and has the tendency to counterfeit God's moves before He makes them to confuse the faithful when the "Real Truth" comes along.  Thus the term "Diabolical Mimicry."  Diabolical mimicry is found even in science with Satan having buried the bones of "dinosaurs" to fool unbelievers  and giving earth the appearance of age older than the Bible might note to confuse the elect. 

In actual fact, it is just a religious way for those so inclined to deny unpleasant and inconvenient truths about reality that contradict their own perceptions of God, the world and in the case of Dave Pack, Apostle, Not Prophet Just Informer and Joshua the High Priest of the Restored Church of God, his own petty and self centered religious over reaching..

“But those who hand down the myths which the poets have made, adduce no proof to the youths who learn them; and we proceed to demonstrate that they have been uttered by the influence of the wicked demons, to deceive and lead astray the human race. For having heard it proclaimed through the prophets that the Christ was to come, and that the ungodly among men were to be punished by fire, they put forward many to be called sons of Jupiter, under the impression that they would be able to produce in men the idea that the things which were said with regard to Christ were mere marvelous tales, like the things which were said by the poets.” Justin Martyr, First Apology

The Christian Church has had to deal with the many similarities between itself and paganism as it did not take a genius to see that both shared a common story about their god-men.

• First-born Son of God Miracle worker (walked on water, raised the dead)

• Had 12 disciples Born of a virgin, in a manger, on December 25th

• Shepherds and wise men followed a star to worship him

• Taught people to love each other, turn the other cheek

• Offers eternal life to those who believe

• Was crucified for our sins

• Buried for three days, descended to Hell for three days

• Came back to life, ascended into heaven

• Will come again to judge the living and the dead

• Seated at the right hand of the Father

• Followers have a baptism and a ritual meal involving his body and blood.

Regarding the nature of the Eucharist, many critics say that Pagan mystery cults may have had a ritual meal of wine and bread, but there is no proof that they considered them to be the body and blood of their savior. Actually, the specific rituals, sacraments and customs of the early Church were identical to other mystery cults, including the Eucharist.

“Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, “This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body;” and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, “This is My blood;” and gave it to them alone. Which the wicked devils have imitated in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same thing to be done. For, that bread and a cup of water are placed with certain incantations in the mystic rites of one who is being initiated, you either know or can learn.” Justin Martyr, First Apology

“He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made one with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation.” An inscription to Mithras"

http://www.holyblasphemy.net/diabolical-mimicry/

All this to note that now David C Pack of the Restored Church of God is claiming Diabolical Mimicry is at work to deceive the very elect about his awesome and overarching  self in the coming of the new Pope Francis and his Christian antics so called .  Satan has to mimic Dave's girdworlderling self and work somewhere, so it may as well be Rome.  According to Pack in The Final Announcement

"A Powerful Counterfeit

Regarding the “foolish shepherd” of Zechariah 11:15-17, this figure appears to already be on the scene. Remember, the devil counterfeits EVERYTHING of God—every doctrine, every tradition, and every prophecy, as well as of course Christianity itself. Now reflect briefly on the elements of Haggai and Zechariah. Next think of the new man living in Rome. 
As with God’s purpose in this prophecy, this man is also

(1) addressing the rich, (Dave talks to rich people.  He even takes their money)

(2) reaching out to the poor  (No similarity here)

(3) already using miracles, (Ditto...)

(4) “casting out” demons, (Ditto 2...)

(5) seeking to unify his flock, (Weird way to do it Dave...)

(6) overtly seeking to preach his gospel worldwide, (Ok, give you this one.  Dave is overt)

 (7) spreading the “kingdom of God” worldwide (the true Church preaches it worldwide),

(sigh...ok, will give you this one depending what true means..)

(8) teaching that all with the Holy Spirit will come to unity and to the Roman Catholic Church,

(and the Baptists, and the Presbyterians and the Episcopalians and the Pentecostals, and the Adventists and Methodists but not Joe Tkach)

(9) teaching that all must come under one leader,

(Mercy Dave...Hitler taught that as well as Mao, Stalin and Pol Pot)

(10) emphasizing faith and truth working together for Christians to survive the age,

(E-Food Direct does the same along with Alex Jones on Infowars)

 (11) teaching how love and truth must also work together, that neither can stand alone,

(Ummm...Dave,  you said "love"   Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz..thanks for playing)

 (12) suggesting that Millennial peace, abundance and joy lies just ahead for all,

(So do all other religions far as I can tell in one form or another...)

(13) that Michael is the warrior archangel for the Roman Catholic Church,

(Ever ask why all Bible Angels are male but all Gift Shop Angels are Female?  Sorry, off topic)

(14) that he must fight on behalf of Rome because the devil is resisting the Catholic church,

(And you must fight on behalf of Wadsworth why again?)

(15) emphasizing “mercy” on all categories of people, and finally

(Oh Dave...you can't use that word either.  We have never seen you emphasize this word.  Please reread your 35 ways to neuter a COG minister screed)

(16) exhorting all believers starting with priests to more openly practice the spirit of giving and serving.(Um Dave....you called a lot of sincere men a lot of names and imputed a lot of motives to them they simply don't have so you can drop that "giving" and "serving" none sense as your message to them.  You threaten people who compete with you like a Chicago thug.

We would say some or many of these things were good if the context were different—if it were describing GOD’S CHURCH. However, if you are not reading the headlines of today, then the tremendous BLAST of this ongoing and developing PARALLEL now at work across the world (since early March) is being lost to you. If YOU have not known what God is planning, you should ask why it seems the DEVIL does know—and why he is so obviously COUNTERFEITING the Haggai/Zechariah prophecy NOW!

(Dave seems to like the number 16 as that is the number of the Restored Kiss Up Council.  I would have thought 12 or 24 would have been more appropriate)

Sadly and of course, as Dr. Bob might say, Dave is making theological, religious and personal connections between himself and Pope Francis that don't actually exist in time and space.  No Satan has brought Pope Francis "for such a time as this" to deceive the very elect from following David C Pack.  How stupid is that?   That's like Matchbox Toys crying copyright infringement on Lambrogini for introducing their new 2013 model

This.....

Does not equal this.............

And this..........

Is not the false mimicry of this...

If anything, this....

Is the Diabolically Mimicked and not well done copy of...

This.. and this...

and this...and this....

and  much closer to this...

...if this  Joshua the High Priest spoken of by the Prophet Haggai non-sense and ego centric  theology doesn't stop soon.  Oh sorry, I forgot....it will in September.

 Contact Dennis at DennisCDiehl@aol.com