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The document was approved by the Synodal Way in a 168 to 28, vote with five abstentions; sixty-nine of the Synodal Assembly members are German bishops.The “Synodal Way,” a conference consisting of German bishops, priests, religious, and laity, on Friday approved a draft document that appears to undermine Catholic doctrine on fundamental points of sexual morality, offering a defense of homosexual relationships, “self-stimulating sexuality,” contraception, and civil divorce and remarriage. The document, titled “Living in Successful Relationships – Living Love in Sexuality and Partnership,” is described by Vatican News as giving “a clear rejection to so-called conversion therapies for homosexuals”...

A previously unseen police report released in 2016 claimed Michael Jackson had a huge collection of images showing porn, animal torture and S&M sex at his Neverland Ranch A stash of disturbing and borderline illegal pornographic images were found in Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch before his death.The Thriller singer, who 10 years after his death from a drug overdose faces fresh claims of sexual abuse and assault against underage boys, collected grim images of nude and partially clothed teenagers at his vast home. Allegations made against him in the Channel 4 documentary Leaving Neverland focus on two of his alleged...

With all due respect, please go away! I just listened to your drivel and think you're a loon. You're about as Republican as my dog. Wait, I don't have a dog! Seriousy, please quietly exit out the back door and slowly get lost!

WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee ripped the Bush administration's war against terrorism Friday, delivering a bold and potentially risky speech that could establish the former Arkansas governor as the maverick among top Republican candidates and test his party's loyalty to President Bush. ''This administration's bunker mentality has been counterproductive both at home and abroad,'' Huckabee said in opening a broad indictment of Bush's style and policy. The speech came after several top Republican candidates started distancing themselves from Bush, vowing change on such issues as illegal immigration and federal spending even as they endorsed Bush's foreign policy. By...

Long dismissed by Washington insiders as incapable of receiving the Republican Party's presidential nomination because of his pro-abortion rights, pro-gay rights and pro-gun control views, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was lavished with praise Friday by an icon of American conservatism. "He is much stronger than anyone could have predicted six months ago," said former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich from Georgia. "New York is four times safer than it used to be. It's one of the greatest achievements of government capability in the 20th century. And Rudy just has to go out and say, 'This is who...

'America's mayor' in strong position for '08 With the 2008 race off to a fast start, there have already been some big surprises (Obama, anyone?). But the biggest shocker so far has to be how strong "America's mayor" is running in the polls. The most recent poll has Giuliani leading the Republican field by five points (with 31 percent to John McCain's 26 percent, according to Real Clear Politics). True, it's early. But the numbers do reflect a deep reservoir of support among some GOP primary voters. Giuliani has a few things going in his favor. For starters, he has...

Rudy Giuliani will prevent a conservative crack-up. Today, after very little effort, Giuliani is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. Dick Morris is predicting a Giuliani vs. Clinton race in 2008. Yet some conservatives are dubious of the man who cleaned up New York, returned it to a vigor unimaginable from the 1960s through the 1980s, and then led New York and the country heroically through 9/11. Well, one knows a politician by the company he keeps, and Giuliani has around him the financial people who created the libertarian-conservative Manhattan Institute. He relied heavily on the Institute's policies while governing...

Sen. John Kerry’s mangled anti-Bush joke has metastasized into a week of negative news for liberals hoping to regain control of the Congress. Even his reluctant apology has done little to quash the fires he lit. Significantly, these fires rage because liberals have yet to expunge the scarlet “D” that has adorned them since the Vietnam War -- “D” for disdain of our military. Let’s review the tape. Kerry advised students at a campaign rally in California that they would “do well” if they studied hard and made “an effort to be smart.” If not: “You get stuck in Iraq.”...

Former US president Jimmy Carter lashed out at British Prime Minister Tony Blair for being "so compliant and subservient" to the Bush administration in Washington. "I have been surprised and extremely disappointed with Tony Blair's behaviour," Carter told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper as he promoted his new book "Faith and Freedom." "I think that, more than any other person in the world, the prime minister could have had a moderating influence on Washington, and he has not," said the 81-year-old former head of state. He faulted Blair for not having been a constraint on US President George W. Bush's decision...

I am not certain what the legal ramifications would be in changing Free Republic from donations to a subscription service. It seems to me the switch may be detrimental to legal issues such as copyrights. If that is true I'd appreciate if someone could briefly explain that to me. However if that is not the case here is my suggestion: I have been wondering about this for some time now and have not seen any discussions about it. So I would like to ask: Is it time for Free Republic to become an online subscription service? Currently, the site is...

If the King of Pop Converts to Islam by Daniel Pipes March 7, 2006 Michael Jackson, the king of pop, is "on the verge" of converting to Islam, CBS News reported last week. If that's true, it fits into a recurring and important African-American pattern. Rumors of Mr. Jackson's conversion first surfaced in November 2003, a month after his arrest on child-molestation charges. Saeed Shabazz, a reporter for the Nation of Islam's publication, The Final Call, announced that Mr. Jackson had joined the organization. He added that NoI's leader, Louis Farrakhan, "sees a lot of spirituality in Michael." But the...

Well, that time has come for me. I’m leaving FR. However, I do not consider this an “opus”, as I am NOT going to use it to rehash old slights or arguments, or to give my personal opinion of what “should be done around here”. As has been so often pointed out, this is Jim Robinson’s site, and he runs it as he sees fit. Rather, all I’m going to do here is give a general reason for my departure, and say a hearty-but-sad “GOODBYE!” to all the folks here who have enriched my life in the past four years....

Per Fox News: Michael Jackson is late for his trial. His spokesman says that Jackson is in the hospital. The judge has issued an arrest warrent for Jackson.

...Venezuelans would prefer at this time if the Carter Center stayed away from our country. The role the Center played in the recall referendum, before and after it, left a very bitter taste in all of those like me, who are certain that the outcome was fraudulent. ... Carter ... did not demand that the CNE do the “hot audits” on August 16th. ... There are lies in the reports from the Carter Center, such as that the boxes containing the ballots never left their sight. Thus, Venezuelans in the opposition think the Carter Center failed them completely by being...

Bwahahahah!!! Gasp! Bwahahahahahahah! (tears of laughter, blogger convulsing on the floor subject to one of the biggest laugh attacks recorded in blogdom). (Breathe, breathe deeply, garner composure, start writing again) Today we learn that Jennifer Mc Coy of the Carter Center will brave Venezuela to offer help in consolidating peace and democracy! The nerve! What is in store for us? Are they going to approve the new judicial system whose near uniform composition will ensure "peace" through a "uniform justice" (pun intended)? Will they offer to monitor the 2006 elections to validate yet another "fair" Chavez victory? ... I have...

It is only day two of the trial. Enough Already!! If you agree, write Fox and tell them to move on to REAL news! Their ratings will soar, if they do.

<p>NEW YORK (AP) -- CBS pulled a Michael Jackson music special planned for next week, saying it would be "inappropriate" to air given the new charges that the star molested a child.</p> <p>Authorities in Santa Barbara, Calif. issued an arrest warrant for the pop star on molestation charges. Jackson has denied the charges.</p>

LONDON — Michael Jackson's father says he never beat his son but admits in a TV interview to be broadcast Sunday that he whipped him. Joe Jackson told the British Broadcasting Corp. that he whipped Michael with a switch and a belt but says he never dealt out a beating. "You beat someone with a stick," the BBC quoted him as saying in a story on its Web site Friday. The pop singer has consistently accused his father of beating him as a child. The interview was conducted by Louis Theroux in a hotel room in an unspecified location in...

Michael Jackson wants to ditch music for film career Michael Jackson wants to take a couple of years off from the music business to pursue a career in film. Jackson, who recently took a cameo role in Men In Black II, says he has always wanted to work in the movie business. The singer also says there is "some truth in" speculation he wanted to recreate his famous moonwalk on the moon. There has been talk the star is teaming up with one of the members of the Apollo 14 mission to become the first pop star to be launched...