Free Republic

Remarks on apostasy and capital punishment under Islamic law by Harvard’s Muslim chaplain have become the center of a heated debate about whether Islamic and Western values can be compatible. In an e-mail to an unnamed student, the chaplain, Taha Abdul-Basser, stated that most traditional authorities on Islamic law agree that in countries under Muslim governance, the proper punishment for apostasy — that is, rejection of Islam by a former Muslim — is death. The e-mail was subsequently published online, and although Abdul-Basser has distanced himself personally from that position, the remarks have stirred a flurry of controversy and debate....

          GETTING UNDERWAY A young Ensign, who had just completed his first overseas deployment, was given the opportunity to "show his stuff" by getting his ship underway. As he yelled our commands with great confidence, sailors were running everywhere. In no time, the ship came out of the channel, headed for home. It was accomplished so well that he set a new record for getting a destroyer underway. He wasn't surprised when a seaman approached him with a message from his CO. . . he was surprised to find that it was a radio message....

He was a soldier to the end. His threadbare army tunic hung on the wall, and his room was filled with religious icons, rosaries and holy pictures. And when you spoke to him, his words were about the men he knew on the battlefields of France when he rigged up a makeshift altar on the hood of his jeep and said mass for them. The photos from the Second World War show these anxious men kneeling, their heads bowed, silent in the muddy fields just hours before they were sent into battle.... I'm speaking about an old friend, Rev. Mike...

Darwin’s quisling (Charles Kingsley) Clergymen betraying the faith they profess is not new. But perhaps none was as destructive as the famous author who smoothed the way for Darwin...

WASHINGTON (ABP) -- The U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains is being criticized for a proclamation calling for prayer and fasting on April 8, which coincides with the first night of Passover, a high holy day on the Jewish calendar celebrated by a traditional feast called the Seder. Maj. Gen. Douglas Carver, a Southern Baptist, issued a proclamation March 2 urging Army chaplains to pray and fast April 8 during a 120-day "stand down" period beginning Feb. 15 to focus on suicide-prevention awareness among soldiers. "As spiritual leaders we are called to be a people of prayer," Carver explained in Internet...

          .....He sent two of the disciples saying, "Go into the village opposite you, in which no one yet has ever sat; untie it, and bring it here. "And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' thus shall you speak, 'The Lord has need of it.'" .......And they brought it to Jesus and they put Jesus on it. And as He was going, they were spreading their garments in the road. And as He was now approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to...

          PERSISTENCE -- THE KEY TO SUCCESS? Walter Wintle once wrote: "If you think you are beaten, you are; if you think you dare not, you don't; If you'd like to win, but think that you can't, it's almost a cinch that you won't.If you think you'll lose, you're lost, for out in the world we find Success begins with a fellow's will; it's all in the state of mind.If you think you're outclassed, you are; you've got to think high to rise. You've got to be sure of yourself before you can ever win...

          RESERVATIONS Recently, someone stopped by my office, handed me two sheets of paper, and said something to the effect of, "You're always sharing something with people; here's something for you." Then he was gone. Like so many encounters we have along life's way, this one was brief. But it left a lasting impression. And brightened my whole day. The article is definitely a "keeper." Originally written by Jonathan Lee for the Washington Post, it is entitled "Reservations of an Airline Agent." I've abbreviated it due to limited space, but the point is unchanged. Enjoy!...

          KEEP MOVING A college class was graduating on a hot and humid day. As the graduates walked across the platform and received their diplomas from the president of the college, he smiled, shook their hands, and said loudly, "Congratulations!" Then, in a much lower voice, one that was firm and could be heard only by the graduates, he would say, "Keep moving." He was only trying to keep the line moving across the stage, but his words were good advice for a lifetime: "Keep moving." After every achievement growing up, graduation, marriage, job promotion,...

A former chaplain with the Virginia State Police says he had no choice but to step down after a new policy took effect requiring generic prayers at department events. Last summer, Rex Carter and five others resigned from the volunteer chaplain program. The move came after a new rule was instituted that restricted prayers by the volunteer chaplains. Carter, who is still a State Police officer, said he had no other choice once he was told he could not pray in the name of Jesus. ~~snip~~ Recently, a State Senate panel killed a bill that would have prohibited State Police...

          PERSISTENCE -- THE KEY TO SUCCESS? Walter Wintle once wrote: "If you think you are beaten, you are; if you think you dare not, you don't; If you'd like to win, but think that you can't, it's almost a cinch that you won't.If you think you'll lose, you're lost, for out in the world we find Success begins with a fellow's will; it's all in the state of mind.If you think you're outclassed, you are; you've got to think high to rise. You've got to be sure of yourself before you can ever win...

          Onward Christian Soldiers! Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before; Christ, the royal Master Leads against the foe; Forward into battle, See, his banners go. Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before. At the sign of triumph Satan's host doth flee; On then, Christian soldiers, On to victory. Hell's foundations quiver At the shout of praise; Brothers, lift your voices, Loud your anthems raise. Like a mighty army Moves the church of God; Brothers, we are treading Where...

A former chaplain in Rwanda's armed forces was sentenced today to 25 years for the abduction, murder and sexual assault of Tutsi civilians by the United Nations tribunal set up to deal with the mass killings that engulfed the tiny African country in 1994. Emmanuel Rukundo was found guilty of genocide, murder as a crime against humanity and extermination as a crime, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) said in a press statement issued from its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. In mid-April 1994, according to the Tribunal, Mr. Rukundo, with soldiers of the Rwandan army, abducted and killed a...

          THE LOSER WHO NEVER GAVE UP For "Sparky", school was all but impossible. He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He flunked physics in high school, getting a grade of zero. He also flunked Latin, algebra and English. And his record in sports wasn't any better. Though he did manage to make the school's golf team, he promptly lost the only important match of the season. Oh, there was a consolation match; he lost that too. Throughout his youth, Sparky was awkward socially. It wasn't that the other students disliked him; it's just...

          WHY DO WE STILL HAVE SCARS? One of the greatest truths we can know in life is that God is always able and willing to forgive us for our shortcomings. All we have to do is ask for His forgiveness. And if God is willing, then we too, should forgive ourselves. Yet one of the greatest ironies concerning forgiveness is that the painful memories the scars of our past remain with us. We may wonder, "What's the sense in receiving forgiveness if the scars from the painful memory remain?" Maybe the question should be,...

          GROWING DEEP AND STRONG One day, my mother and I were working together in the garden where we were transplanting plants for the third time. Grown from seed in a small container, the plants had been transferred to a larger container; then transplanted into the garden. Now, because I was moving, we were transplanting them once again. Inexperienced as a gardener, I turned to my green-thumbed mother. "Isn’t this bad for them?" I asked, as we dug them up and shook the dirt from the roots. "Won’t it hurt these plants, being uprooted and...

          HIGH FLIGHT John Gillespie Magee, Jr. was a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Shortly before his plane was shot down during World War II, he wrote a poem called "High Flight." The last stanza reads: Up, up the long delirious, burning blueI've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,Where never lark, or even eagle, flew;And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trodThe high untrespassed sanctity of space,Put out my hand and touched the face of God. John Magee was only nineteen years old when he wrote these words. Today this poem is...

Silenced Christian soldiers: Sandhurst chaplain bans Creed 'so services won't offend minority religions.' By MATTHEW DRAKE 30th January 2009 Jonathan Gough, Senior Chaplain at Sandhurst, has dropped the Church of England creed over fears that it may offend religious minorities Sandhurst military academy has dropped the Church of England Creed from services over fears that it may offend religious minorities. The move has outraged worshippers who say centuries of religious tradition have been sacrificed for the sake of political correctness. Senior chaplain Reverend Jonathan Gough dropped the Christian declaration of faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, when he...

The underwear drive didn't surprise members of the congregation at Desert Skies United Methodist Church. They are used to helping out, and underwear was just the latest request from the overseas soldiers. It's all part of Desert Skies' involvement with the national Adopt-a-Chaplain program. The congregation has been involved since 2006, when a group of its women decided to come up with a mission. "We thought about what's significant about our community, and the first thing we thought about was the military," said Jennifer Stivers, 32. Stivers said churchgoers researched Adopt-a-Chaplain and are now helping their third chaplain, Capt. Vincent...

          DON’T BLAME CHANGING TIMES Most of us have learned to cope with, if not exactly embrace, the technological revolution that has completely restructured our world over the past two decades. Words like "Internet," "e-mail" and even "distance learning" may not be in your dictionary yet, but they soon will be. And that dictionary probably won't be paper like the ones most of us learned to use; instead, it will be part of the "spellchecker" on a computer hard drive, or perhaps on a single "CD-ROM" that contains thousands of pages of information. Despite my...

          OUR COVENANT WITH GOD Abram accepted the covenant God offered him, "I Am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." Abram fell face-down, and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: you will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram: your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations." (Genesis 17:1-5). Like Abraham, we also have a covenant with God;...

A San Francisco Catholic Church had swastikas and other nasty things spray painted on its walls this week due to the Church's stance on Prop 8. As we all know, the cultural elite of this country have adopted a sickening tone of anti-Christianity recently and it only seems to be getting worse. With that in mind I noticed that the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission (CADC) prepared a Top Ten list of the most egregious acts of Christian Bashing in American in 2008. #10: Jack Black Musical Video In a short video posted on FunnyorDie.com entitled, "Prop 8 The Musical," an all...

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Jan. 7, 2009 – Army Chaplain (Capt.) David Curry, based out of Kandahar, Afghanistan, with Task Force Eagle Assault, is accustomed to multitasking. Army Chaplain (Capt.) David Curry serves with Task Force Eagle Assault, an elite unit based in Kandahar, Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Paul David Ondik  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. He is a member of an elite division deployed halfway around the globe to fight terrorism. He’s also a relationship counselor, an event coordinator and senior advisor. “There are three, maybe four hats that a chaplain wears,” Curry said. “The chaplains...

          Prayers for Israel Maschil of David, when he was in the cave; a Prayer. With my voice I cry unto HaShem; with my voice I make supplication unto HaShem. I pour out my complaint before Him, I declare before Him my trouble; When my spirit fainteth within me--Thou knowest my path--in the way wherein I walk have they hidden a snare for me. Look on my right hand, and see, for there is no man that knoweth me; I have no way to flee; no man careth for my soul.I have cried unto Thee,...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2008 – After nearly seven months of holding religious services in conference rooms, the Army Strikers at Forward Operating Base War Eagle in the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad christened their new chapel with a Christmas Eve candlelight service Dec. 24, 2008. Army Spc. Dale Harris, an information systems specialist, 1st Lt. Ivan Lugo, an unmanned aerial vehicle platoon leader, and Spc. Jerrod Fox, an unmanned aerial vehicle operator, lead Christmas carols at a Christmas Eve candlelight service on Forward Operating Base War Eagle Dec. 24. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Mike Humphreys   (Click photo for screen-resolution...

          OUR COVENANT WITH GOD Abram accepted the covenant God offered him, "I Am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." Abram fell face-down, and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: you will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram: your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations." (Genesis 17:1-5). Like Abraham, we also have a covenant with God;...

Presidential Message The story of Hanukkah recalls the miraculous victory of a small band of patriots against tyranny, and the oil that burned for eight nights. Through centuries of exile and persecution, Jews have lit the menorah. Each year, they behold its glow with faith in the power of God, and love for His greatest gift -- freedom. This Hanukkah we celebrate another miraculous victory -- the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel. When President Harry Truman led the world in recognizing Israel in May of 1948, many wondered whether the small nation could possibly...

Recently, CNA had the opportunity to send a writer to the Anbar Province of Iraq to cover the experiences of a Catholic chaplain working in the trenches. What follows is his recounting of the amazing encounter he had with this apostle in the desert. Father Bautista: Apostle in the Desert Joe Burns, War Stringer A few weeks ago, I returned to the U.S. after spending a week with Army troops in Iraq. More specifically, I spent six and a half days with my son’s outfit, the 63rd Ordnance Company stationed at Al Taqaddum. Al Taqaddum is a former Iraqi airbase,...

          GIVING IT ALL YOU’VE GOT Ever hear the expression "Giving it the whole nine yards"? Do you happen to know where it comes from? I used to think it was a sports term. "Not so" say several experts. But here seem to be at least two schools of thought on the phrase's origin. Both seem plausible. I'll let you decide. One explanation says that it's an expression from the construction trade. A full truck load, according to this rationale, will dump nine cubic yards of sand or gravel at your work site. In such...

SOUTH HUTCHINSON - Working on their homework, one child looked up as the tall man in the red hooded sweatshirt calmly walked across the room. "Father Blick," the child shouted. Ecstatic shrieks filled the air, as others cried out, "It's Father Blick." Uproar ensued as all the children participating in the after-school program at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church raced to greet their beloved former pastor, offering him the biggest group hug possible. "He survived Iraq," 9-year-old Miguel Juan said gleefully after hugging the priest they had not seen since he left the parish at the end of 2007....

          DISAPPOINTMENTS Disappointments come to all of us; and the more I see of life, the more convinced I am that one of the most important lessons anyone can learn is how to handle these disappointments. One of the great disappointments in my youth happened during my sophomore year in high school when I was running for class president. The class elected a cute brunette cheerleader. Another popular girl, another of the cheerleaders, came in second. And I trailed the field with only four votes. That was quite a blow to a cocky young boy...

          JUST FOR TODAY As I go through some "troubles" in my own life, I've worked out this "formula" to help me be a useful and happy person. See if it doesn't work for you! JUST FOR TODAY: I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life problem at once. JUST FOR TODAY: I will be happy. I will assume to be true what Abraham Lincoln said: "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be." JUST FOR TODAY: I will try to strengthen my...

          MAKING ASSUMPTIONS A story making the rounds this past week told of a policeman who was heading home after a long, hard day on patrol. He had dealt with a whole succession of difficult people, and a mountain of frustrating paperwork. All he wanted at this point was to kick back, unwind, enjoy some peace and quiet, and maybe watch a few innings of baseball on TV. But, as he neared home, he was startled by a vehicle that came careening around a sharp curve and narrowly missed his squad car. As the car...

          LIFEBOAT! One of the great World War II films was LIFEBOAT, about the ordeal faced by survivors of a passenger ship that was sunk by a Nazi U-Boat in the middle of the Atlantic. The film details their struggle for survival in a small lifeboat, fighting the elements, thirst and then fighting against each other. Each person has their own ideas about how to navigate the little boat: they argue about who should be in charge; and they find little things to fight over even when they run out of things to fight over....

          PERSISTENCE -- THE KEY TO SUCCESS? Walter Wintle once wrote: "If you think you are beaten, you are; if you think you dare not, you don't; If you'd like to win, but think that you can't, it's almost a cinch that you won't.If you think you'll lose, you're lost, for out in the world we find Success begins with a fellow's will; it's all in the state of mind.If you think you're outclassed, you are; you've got to think high to rise. You've got to be sure of yourself before you can ever win...

Excerpt..... A new policy banning Virginia State Police chaplains from saying Jesus,’ Christ’ during prayer is stirring up a lot of controversy. Six chaplains have already resigned over the issue. “In the bible it says to pray in Jesus name,” said Charlotte Ryan, Johnson City, Tennessee resident. Claude Duncan from Johnson City is also against the prayer policy change. “I think it’s a terrible thing that they would create such a thing that would deny us the privilege of praying in the name of our savor, Jesus Christ,” Duncan said. We found strong opposition on Monday to a decision.........

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine is defending why his administration forced the sudden resignation of five Virginia State Police Chaplains because they prayed publicly “in Jesus’ name.” Police Superintendent Col. W. Steven Flaherty single-handedly created then enforced a strict “non-sectarian” prayer policy at all public gatherings, censoring and excluding Christian prayers, then accepted the resignation of five chaplains who refused to deny Jesus or violate their conscience by watering down their prayers. House Republican Leader Morgan Griffith and Delegate Charles W. Carrico, (R-Grayson) both issued public statements defending the chaplains, questioning Governor Kaine’s role in terminating the chaplains, and vowing to...

          A MESSAGE FROM MOM I gave you life, but cannot live it for you.I can teach you things, but I cannot make you learn.I can give you directions, but I cannot be there to lead you. I can allow you freedom, but I cannot account for it.I can take you to church, but I cannot make you believe.I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot always decide for you.I can buy you beautiful clothes, but I cannot make you beautiful inside.I can offer you advice, but I cannot accept it for you.I...

A friend of yours has recommended you visit http://injesusnameipray.org. This site gives you the ability to join Delegate Bill Carrico and voice your opposition to the decision by Colonel W. Steven Flaherty's to not allow State Trooper chaplains to pray in Jesus name and to reinstate the chaplains that resigned due to this request. Please forward this email to as many people as you wish.

Army chaplain who had served in Kuwait dies at Walter Reed Chaplain (Col.) Sidney J. Marceaux An Army chaplain who ministered to troops for decades died earlier this month after being medically evacuated from Kuwait to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Pentagon announced late Tuesday. Chaplain (Col.) Sidney J. Marceaux, a Catholic priest, died Sept. 14 at Walter Reed "from a noncombat related illness," according to a news release. He had been serving at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, before being transferred to the Warrior Transition Brigade at Walter Reed, officials said. A memorial service was held Wednesday in Kuwait, a...

RICHMOND Thou shalt not mention specific deities in public prayers. That command was handed down recently to Virginia State Police troopers who work as chaplains, prompting several to resign the religious part of their jobs because they are forbidden to mention a particular god by name. Republican legislators blasted the policy Wednesday, marking the latest flare-up in the debate over how much religion is appropriate in government. Del. Charles W. "Bill" Carrico Sr., R-Grayson, declared the decision an "attack on Christianity" and is leading a campaign to have it reversed. "Censoring what these chaplains can say is a violation of...

Contact: Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, 719-360-5132 cell, chaplaingate@yahoo.com RICHMOND, Virginia, Sept. 25 /Christian Newswire/ -- Virginia Governor Tim Kaine is defending why his administration forced the sudden resignation of five Virginia State Police Chaplains because they prayed publicly "in Jesus' name." Police Superintendent Col. W. Steven Flaherty single-handedly created then enforced a strict "non-sectarian" prayer policy at all public gatherings, censoring and excluding Christian prayers, then accepted the resignation of five chaplains who refused to deny Jesus or violate their conscience by watering down their prayers. House Republican Leader Morgan Griffith and Delegate Charles W. Carrico, (R-Grayson) both issued public...

          PULLED IN TWO DIRECTIONS Our Daily Bread ~ July 29, 1998 Read: Philippians 1:19-26 "To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ... I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ. (Philippians 1:21,23) As Christians, we are pulled in two directions. We all want to go to heaven, but this life also holds great appeal. We are like the youngster in Sunday school who listened intently while the teacher told about the beauties of heaven. She concluded by saying, "Raise your hand if...

          THE POWER OF A TEACHER Yesterday, I related the story of a young man who had been labeled as "retarded," yet achieved remarkable success because of one teacher who convinced him that someone else's judgment need not become his reality. The account pointed out the importance of a healthy self-image, and the power of a vision. Today, I want to expand on that thought a bit. What was it that made the teacher in that story so different? Confidence? Experience? Expertise? No, I think it was something far more basic. Let me illustrate with...

          MOVING BEYOND CAPE BOJADOR The early Portuguese explorers believed that the oceans were impassable below Cape Bojador, a point on the West African coast. When sailors set aside their fears and moved past Cape Bojador, they found that their fears were groundless that their limitations were imaginary. We all have our own Cape Bojador. We fear things that we need not fear. We draw boundaries around areas of our lives and decide that we can't go past them. Since we believe these false paradigms, we will stay within their artificial boundaries and lose whatever...

          GOD WILL NOT LET YOU FALL My family and I went camping this past summer. We took several hikes down the little river bed as it flowed through the Cuyamaca State Park near our home in San Diego. We topped for a picnic lunch, and ate with our feet in the cool running water. As I ate my sandwich, I started tracing a trail through the rocks that shot up into the air in front of us. It was an old habit from days gone by of rock scrambling: no ropes, no hardware, no...

          PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT Just a children's song remembered from a Sunday School class long ago: "Red and yellow, black and white; they are precious in his sight; Jesus loves the little children of the world." But it expresses a profound truth. One that might change the world if we took it seriously. Sort of like the lesson in the poem a friend sent me yesterday. It's worth more than a second reading. It may reveal ... or remind you... of more truth than you expect! "We pray for the children who put chocolate...

          IN GENTLENESS THERE IS STRENGTH The parents were devastated. Their young adopted daughter had died in an unusual accident. She suffocated when the drawstring on the hood of her jacket became caught in a playground slide. It was later learned their child was not the first to die this way. Design flaws in both the hood and the slide made this an accident waiting to happen. Some people might have viewed this tragedy as an opportunity to sue the two major corporations for a lucrative settlement. The parents, however, refused. In an interview, the...

          DON'T GET NUKED The Navy and Marine Corps rightly spend much of their time on chemical, biological and radiological training. As bombs and triggering devices become more mobile and terrorists become more sophisticated, it is important to prepare ourselves for disaster while hoping that it will be avoided. Regarding chemical and biological warfare, it is especially difficult to believe that something so small and invisible can be so deadly and dangerous. Just a little toxin in the air . . . and the next thing you know you're doing the "funky chicken" on the...

Caracas, Jul 24, 2008 / 06:13 pm (CNA).- In statements on Union Radio, the vice president of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Roberto Luckert Leon, warned that the self-proclaimed “Reformed Catholic Church,” which is backed by the Hugo Chavez administration, is seeking to name military chaplains with government support. Archbishop Lückert reiterated that the small religious sect led by former Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican clergy members, is “financed by the government in an effort to put an end to the Catholic Church, which it has not and will not be able to do.” The “Reformed Catholic Church” announced this week...