Free Republic

Our coins say it--"In God We Trust." But surveys indicate that fewer and fewer Americans actually put their trust in God. For many, God seems to get in the way. To some, God and his commandments are the creation of an archaic Judeo-Christian belief system that just impedes needed cultural transformation. Coverage of the recent statements by Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson have focused primarily on his statements regarding homosexual behavior. But the subsequent reaction has revealed a deep divide in our culture. Ron Highfield's faith-affirming book, "God, Freedom & Human Dignity," explores the impact of centuries of Enlightenment thinking...

(Reuters) - Americans named President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the world's most admired living man and woman in 2013, according to a Gallup poll released on Monday. Obama topped the annual list for the sixth consecutive year, a typical ranking for a sitting U.S. president, the polling organization said. But the percentage of those surveyed who choose him as the most admired man fell to 16 percent this year, down from 30 percent in 2012. The president's job approval rating has dropped during a year marked by a botched healthcare rollout and stalled legislative...

**SNIP** The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest and largest national organization of tribal governments, along with attorneys representing the Osage Nation and 20 Arizona tribes, met with the White House to discuss the FWS’ eagle “take” rules. After the meeting, the NCAI passed a resolution accusing the administration of failing to consult meaningfully with tribes while pursuing a rule to lengthen eagle take permits for wind farms from five to 30 years. The resolution said eagle permits should not be issued without the consent of affected tribes. **SNIP** Wind farms must be located where the wind blows...

While the vast majority of Americans celebrate Christmas, only about half say they see it as mostly a religious holiday, according to a recent Pew Research study. One third of those polled consider it a cultural celebration focused on exchanging gifts and spending time with family. While 86 percent of Americans say they plan to attend a gathering of family or friends on Christmas Eve or Christmas and purchase presents for loved ones, only 54 percent plan to attend a religious service over the holiday that theologically observes the birth of Jesus Christ.

More than 1.3 million Americans will lose their unemployment benefits on December 28 as a budget deal proposal in Congress fails to extend the federal program. The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program is not included into the budget deal that would likely pass the Senate this week. Senate Democrats have admitted that they would miss the deadline to extend the benefits and Senate Republicans have not paid attention to the issue at all.

In a recent WND article, Bill Federer cites Barack Obama's emphatic proclamation, back in 2006: "Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation." Mr. Federer then proceeds to detail the facts that prove incontrovertibly that, when the American people ratified the U.S. Constitution, Christianity was the formally declared basis for public service in 9 of the 13 original States; and that conformity with tenets or practices consistent with the Christian religion were declared or required in the constitutions of the others. Of course, people who subscribe to Obama's murderous death cult shrug off these facts with a...

In the opening pages of Ray Bradbury’s famous novel Fahrenheit 451, protagonist Guy Montag asks: Wasn’t there a time when firemen used to put out fires? They laugh at him, rebuke him and say: Everybody knows firemen start fires.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. A day of family gatherings, feasting, football and the last respite before the start of the Christmas shopping season. The focus is on spending time together rather than giving gifts and attending cocktail parties. Thanksgiving began in 1621, when the Pilgrims invited the Wampanoag Indians to join them in celebration of the fall harvest. The Indians traveled for several days, created their own camp, and stayed with the Pilgrims for three days of feasting and celebration. This first Thanksgiving sounds similar to our tradition of family members invading a relative's home and...

The percentage of American civilians 16 or older who have a job or are actively seeking one dropped to a 35-year low in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In September, the labor force participation rate was 63.2 percent, but in October it dropped to 62.8 percent—the lowest it has been since February 1978, when Jimmy Carter was president. The labor force, according to BLS, is that part of the civilian noninstitutional population that either has a job or has actively sought one in the last four weeks. The civilian noninstitutional population consists of people 16 or older,

SANTA FE—Where did the first Americans come from? Most researchers agree that Paleoamericans moved across the Bering Land Bridge from Asia sometime before 15,000 years ago, suggesting roots in East Asia. But just where the source populations arose has long been a mystery. Now comes a surprising twist, from the complete nuclear genome of a Siberian boy who died 24,000 years ago—the oldest complete genome of a modern human sequenced to date. His DNA shows close ties to those of today's Native Americans. Yet he apparently descended not from East Asians, but from people who had lived in Europe or...

Obama is so honest that even when he lies… it’s only to be honest. Sure Obama lied to Americans… but it was for their own good. He was only lying to Americans in order to keep his promise to them. Dan (Pfeiffer’s crazy spin) on Obama’s now infamous “If you like your plan, you can keep your plan” lie may be more addled than Orwellian. It goes through more contortions than a gymnast falling out of a plane. Plugging in the now familiar claim that the cancelled plans were somehow “substandard”, Dan Pfeiffer tries to argue that Obama had to...

(CNSNews.com) - The number of Americans who are 16 years or older and who have decided not to participate in the nation's labor force has climbed to a record 90,609,000 in September, according to data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS counts a person as participating in the labor force if they are 16 years or older and either have a job or have actively sought a job in the last four weeks. A person is not participating in the labor force if they are 16 or older and have not sought a job in the...

In the current fight over the government shutdown, Republicans are simply representing the views of the American people. Americans didn't ask for Obamacare, they don't want it, but now their insurance premiums are going through the roof, their doctors aren't accepting it, and their employers are moving them into part-time work -- or firing them -- to avoid the law's mandates.

On the conservative side of the political spectrum, we frequently refer to liberals as "low information voters," a nice way of saying they are stupid. From their point of view, however, we are the stupid ones. And not merely stupid, but evil. The divide between conservatives and liberals can be seen in the outcomes of the many polls and surveys that are announced on a daily basis. The numbers are depressingly the same; ranging from 40-40% or 50-50%, depending on how many respond that they don't have an opinion. There is, moreover, what I call the "thirty percent syndrome" of...

A unique new survey of health care professionals finds that 56 percent oppose Obamacare, with more than nine in 10 believing that there could be major negative impacts such as a drop in quality care. A shocking 19 percent believe Americans will die earlier.

Two years ago, Gayne C. Young, a Texas-based writer and blogger for Outdoor Life, scored the interview of a lifetime. As a beat writer, Young had enjoyed the outdoor exploits of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been documented shooting a gray whale with a crossbow, tranquilizing a tiger attacking a news crew, hunting shirtless, fishing shirtless, and riding horseback shirtless. On a personal level, Young liked the rugged brand of masculinity that seemed a throwback to Teddy Roosevelt. "Although you have Clinton shooting ducks, you never see it. Although Rick Perry says he enjoys hunting, you don't see it....

"The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.” (1) Thomas Jefferson For more than a century, members of Washington DC’s political ruling class have treated the American people–the true sovereigns of this nation–like subjects, useful only on Election Day and for the payment of unsustainable obligations. These self-anointed patricians have abused the authority of their office and of the Constitution while dramatically expanding the size of a government whose powers the Founders had...

There is a verse in the Bible that shows itself to be true every day. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. Every once in a while, the truth really does come to light. No matter how well some people try to hide the truth, or the way they really feel, their heart overwhelms their brains and they just blurt it out. Every human being on the planet has been guilty of this, at one time or another. Sometimes, you just have to say what you really mean, what you really feel in your heart and President...

WASHINGTON, September 5 (by Karin Zeitvogel for RIA Novosti) – As the United States inches closer to military action against Syria, the anti-war movement around the country is gathering steam and going beyond the usual street protests to voice opposition to the use of force against Syria. On Saturday, hundreds of protesters will be bussed in from cities up and down the east coast for a march from the White House to Capitol Hill in Washington, with many staying on for another rally on Monday, which is being organized by Syrian Americans opposed to US military intervention. Anti-war activists in...

Helping them with your tax dollars to unilaterally overthrow Syria’s president and replace with the Muslim Brotherhood that is. via As Syria war escalates, Americans cool to U.S. intervention: Reuters/Ipsos poll | Reuters. (Reuters) – Americans strongly oppose U.S. intervention in Syria’s civil war and believe Washington should stay out of the conflict even if reports that Syria’s government used deadly chemicals to attack civilians are confirmed, a Reuters/Ipsos poll says. About 60 percent of Americans surveyed said the United States should not intervene in Syria’s civil war, while just 9 percent thought President Barack Obama should act. More Americans...