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Vatican Hires Legal Heavyweights To Protect Merchandising Rights Of Pope Francis And Holy See

On the official Vatican website, one can buy Pope Francis medals, icons and rosary boxes.

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God’s love may be free, but the Vatican says it has a copyright on the pope.

“And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:” Revelation 18:11 (KJV)

Unnerved by the proliferation of papal-themed T-shirts, snow globes and tea towels around the world, the Vatican has warned it intends to “protect” the image of Pope Francis and “stop situations of illegality that may be discovered.” It also wants to protect the crossed keys emblem of the Holy See.

“The secretary of state will undertake systematic surveillance aimed at monitoring the way in which the image of the Holy Father and the emblems of the Holy See are used, intervening with opportune measures when necessary,” the Vatican said in a statement.

To back up this declaration, the Vatican has hired the global law firm Baker McKenzie to protect its intellectual property rights, the Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported. without citing the source of the information. Baker McKenzie declined to comment.

The threat of enforcement marks a sea change for a church that for some 2,000 years has seen popes venerated on all manner of flags, banners and medals. But the popularity of Francis and the ease with which his image can be copied in the internet age has spawned a flood of papal trinkets, causing the Holy See to worry that they are losing control of his image.

“The pope’s image rights are no different from those of any other famous celebrity and so it’s not surprising that the Vatican is giving notice that it will protect its (intellectual property) rights as necessary,” said Nick Kounoupias, the founder of an intellectual property consultancy in London. “What will be interesting to see, however, is how vigorously these rights are pursued, given who the IP owner is.”

Francis’ many travels have taken him to countries like the Philippines and Sri Lanka, where factories can quickly churn out pope hats, T-shirts and towels. Vatican officials have grown fearful the faithful will think that the church is making money off the merchandise, experts say. Worse still, they see the conditions in which some of the items are made and worry about being associated with labor abuses.

The decision reflects an evolution in the last decade as the Vatican adapted to modern markets. While in the past the Holy See might get word of improper use of the pope’s image through local church organizations around the globe, the approach was random.

“It’s not new that people were selling T-shirts of the pope, but (previously) those were probably little local vendors,” said Mark McKenna, an intellectual property expert at the Notre Dame Law School in Indiana.

What’s changed is the magnitude of what can be produced and how quickly it can be distributed through online platforms.

“In a world of Etsy, you are able to do it on a bigger scale,” he said.

Although the Vatican did not elaborate on how it would crack down, the warning seemed a pre-emptive move to explain why the Vatican is going after the unauthorized commercial uses of the pope’s image. There was no immediate indication that souvenir buyers would risk fines or legal action.

It’s not as if the church refrains from selling its own pope-themed material.

On the Vatican website, one can buy Francis medals, icons and rosary boxes. The Vatican museum boutiques offer silk ties and scarves and watches showing scenes from Michelangelo’s frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. And that may be part of the Vatican’s motivation in safeguarding Francis’ face – and warning that they will challenge the copycats.

“It’s probably also the case that there is some genuine commercial motivation,” McKenna said. “They want to be sure they’re the only ones selling this stuff.” source

 


 

Free Bible Program

Chaplain At The Highly Controversial California City ICE Immigration Detention Facility Tells Us Requests For Spanish Bibles Have Become ‘Overwhelming’

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The controversial California City ICE Immigration Detention Facility needs King James Bibles in Spanish due to ‘overwhelming’ requests from inmates

The California City Detention Facility in Kern County is set to become the largest immigration detention center in the state, with a capacity of 2,560 beds. It’s part of the Trump administration’s push for a massive expansion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention nationally. Now we hear they need God’s preserved word in Spanish, and are overwhelmed with requests for it. Chaplain Ron wrote to say “since the time i started here in September requests for Spanish bibles have been overwhelmingly great. I am requesting as many as we can obtain, thank you!” That’s our cue.

“And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.” Zechariah 7:10 (KJB)

One of the most controversial government agencies is ICE, Immigrant Customs Enforcement, and rightly so when you consider the careless manner in which the now-deposed former DHS head Kristi Noem ran that agency. As an American, I agree that illegal immigration is a serious problem, and people here illegally need to either get legal or go. But as a Christian who very much wants to see lost people get saved, the opportunity to get Bibles into a high-level ICE detention center is a rare and exciting opportunity. We’ve done it before in Texas, and now the opportunity to do the same in California stands before us. Throw your politics out the window, Christian, the Lord is giving us an end times harvest, and I would love to see a minimum of 500 King James Bibles in Spanish, the RVG, be sent out as soon as possible. But we can only do it with your help. Sending out 500 Bibles is $2,275.00 and 1,000 Bibles $4,550.00. Come help us!

If God has prospered you, please take a moment to click on the donate button to help us in this monumental task of providing King James Bibles, New Testaments, scripture portions, gospel tracts as well as Spanish Bibles to inmates in jails and prisons from Florida to Alaska, and every state in between. We need your prayers, we need your generous financial support, and we need you to stand with us in the closing days of the Church Age. Thank you so very much, TO THE FIGHT!!!


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Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

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But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORTTO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

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THE PROPHECY NEWS PODCAST: Jared Kushner Becomes The Most Powerful Man In The Middle East As He’s Now Tasked With Bringing Peace To Iran War

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From Abraham Accords To Gaza Peace Board To Iran War: Is Jared Kushner Quietly Assembling A Regional Covenant?

Jared Kushner has already laid the groundwork in the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, proving he can do what few others have done—bring Arab nations and Israel into agreement. Then he was given billions of dollars from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to start his wealth management fund, Affinity Partners. Next  he was appointed as the ‘Special Envoy of Peace’ that has taken control of the ruins formally known as Gaza. Now, President Trump has tasked Kushner with implementing his 15 Point Peace Plan to end the war in Iran.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Daniel 9:27 (KJB)

On this episode of the Prophecy News Podcast, now here’s the part most people ignore, but NTEB doesn’t. Kushner is not just a diplomat—he is backed by billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia and Gulf state sovereign wealth funds. Let that sink in. The very nations that must be part of any Middle East peace agreement are also financially tied to the man brokering deals in that same region. That is not coincidence. That is alignment of money, influence, and geopolitical power. In one man, Jared Kushner, you now have a man with access to Israel, a man accepted by Arab nations, and a man connected to massive financial backing That is a trifecta you almost never see in one individual. No, we are not declaring Jared Kushner to be the biblical Antichrist. But if you’re looking for the type of man the Bible describes, you’re looking for someone who checks boxes exactly like these. And for the first time in a long time…you can actually see what that might look like. Today we venture into the belly of the Beast and show you everything that the Central Casting Antichrist Jared Kushner has been up to.

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Listen to What Our Donation Angels Have to Say About the Ministry of Now The End Begins

  • “You are truly an end time ministry and I appreciate how our Precious Lord is using you to educate his very own flock. There is a lot of confusion , but your ministry is putting scripture in the right prospective. Thank-you so so much Geoffrey S Grider for standing firm and putting in a lot of hours of your time. God Bless You , also your Ministry and your family. IN JESUS MIGHT NAME.” T. Muto
  • “Jesus. I am now 64 years old and never in all the years I’ve been a Christian was I able to grow in the Lord as much as I have in the last past year. All because of our blessed brother’s work Geoffrey Grider who as the bravery of standing fast forward without fear of claiming the truth of God by the power of his love in Jesus Christ. May God bless you abundantly to the end my dear brother… ROMANS: 8: 36,37,38” Mireille Anderson
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  • I just want to thank you for the teachings you give every Sunday night on radio.  You are such a blessing to me. I absolutely love your way of teaching the scriptures.  I don’t have a church where I can have fellowship and teaching, so you have been my teacher for many months now. Thanks God you are there for all of us who have no church to go to.  I pray that the Lord will bless you abundantly in your ministry, and your loved ones too.  You are such a blessing to me, and many others, in these last days before the rapture.  Thank you so much Geoffrey, from the bottom of my heart. May the Lord keep you, until He comes back for us. You are in my prayers.” Donald Godin
  • “Thank you for the work  you are doing brother.  Your page and your testimony were a blessing to me this morning as I came across it for the first time.  Thank you for the reality of your testimony and what God has done for you in introducing you to Jesus our Lord.  God has brought me, in salvation, to Himself as well, through His love and mercy and grace in salvation.  How can we praise Him enough?  How can we not share this good news!?  I pray this day for God’s blessing on your ministry that He may save many souls through the work He has called you to.  Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)” Mark and Melissa
  • “Love the Sunday night bible study. I want to support someone who has the passion for the lost like Geoffrey does and rightly divides the word of God. God bless you.” Teresa Carey
  • “I give because not many news outlets are brave enough or Godly enough to tell these stories from a Christian’s point of view. I see stories here that will not be seen anywhere else.” William Grayshaw
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  • “I donate because you are reporting the truth about the increasing wickedness of our time, as God’s word foretold. In so doing we are reminded to “Keep looking up” as we wait in joyful hope for the Lord’s coming, Maranatha! ” Anthony Sloane
  • “Geoffrey has the best End Times News out there. I have been receiving his emails for years now and always enjoy his Sunday night messages although I don’t always think exactly as he thinks. We are all in this “boat of life” together and as I come to the end of my life’s journey here, I am more aware of Jesus’s call for us to be one as He and the Father are One.” Deborah Cleaveland

STREET-TESTED NTEB GOSPEL TRACTS:

This is the official gospel tract of NTEB, used here on the streets of Saint Augustine and sent around the world as they are purchased through our website. We ask you to prayerfully consider supporting the work of Now The End Begins by purchasing a box of these full-color, high-quality gospel tracts. Thank you in advance!

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORTTO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

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As Iran Tensions Explode, USS Tripoli Strike Group With A Full Marine Expeditionary Unit Arriving To Reinforce 50,000 U.S. Troops Already Deployed In Region

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Strait Of Hormuz Becomes Flashpoint As USS Tripoli And Combat Marines Enter Region Backed By Tens Of Thousands Of U.S. Forces

The USS Tripoli is not a symbol. It is not a diplomatic gesture. It is a fully operational, forward-deployed invasion platform. A Marine Expeditionary Unit is specifically designed for one thing: to hit fast, hit hard, and establish a foothold before the enemy can react. On Friday it will arrive to reopen the Strait of Hormuz replete with 2,200 US Marines who will be joining the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit of 2,500 Marines that’s due to arrive mid-April. And you think this war is winding down? Guess again.

“Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.” Joshua 11:18 (KJB)

The Strait of Hormuz is the economic jugular vein of the planet, where a massive portion of the world’s oil supply flows every single day. Whoever controls that chokepoint holds leverage over global markets, economies, and stability itself. Right now, Iran has their fingers on the controls, something that President Donald Trump would love dearly to see come to a sooner rather than later end. The USS Tripoli is not just a ship, it is a floating strike platform, a fully armed and operational war machine positioned at sea. On board are F-35B stealth fighter jets, MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, attack and transport helicopters, and ground combat Marines trained and ready for amphibious assault. This is not a slow, piecemeal military buildup taking shape over time; this is a complete, self-contained invasion force, already assembled and capable of launching operations the very moment the order is given. And it doesn’t stand alone. Moving with it is the USS New Orleans, an amphibious transport dock, carrying roughly 2,200 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. Together, this is Day One war capability — not theoretical, not preparatory, but active and deployed. Everything needed for immediate combat operations is already in place, already in position, and ready to be unleashed.

Please pray for our amazing US Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen as they get ready to, hopefully, take control of the Strait of Hormuz and bring this war to an end. Semper Fi.

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

nteb-free-king-james-bible-program-750-550

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORTTO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

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