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The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group began bulldozing the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud in Iraq on Thursday, the government said, in the jihadists' latest attack on the country's historical heritage. ISIS "assaulted the historic city of Nimrud and bulldozed it with heavy vehicles," the tourism and antiquities ministry said on an official Facebook page. An Iraqi antiquities official confirmed the news, saying the destruction began after noon prayers on Thursday and that trucks that may have been used to haul away artefacts had also been spotted at the site. "Until now, we do not know to...

Screen Capture A video showing Islamic State militants with sledgehammers and power drills on a rampage inside the Mosul Museum shows the destruction of both reproductions and priceless originals from at least two important eras in the region’s history, said a British expert on Iraqi culture. Paul Collins, of the British Institute for the Study of Iraq, in an email to Aleteia, said it was “distressing” to watch scenes of the destruction of colossal winged bulls of the seventh century BC. “These are certainly the real things and it looks from the video that the sculptures are those situated outside...

BAGHDAD - Islamic State militants in northern Iraq have destroyed a collection of statues and sculptures dating back thousands of years, according to a video published online in the name of the radical Islamist group. The video showed the statues, some identified as antiquities from Iraq's 7th century BC Assyrian era, being toppled, smashed and broken up by sledgehammer. A man shown in the video said they were being destroyed because they promoted idolatry. "The Prophet ordered us to get rid of statues and relics, and his companions did the same when they conquered countries after him," the unidentified man...

Following are excerpts from a show featuring Egyptian Salafi sheikh Murgan Salem; the show aired on Dream 2 TV, on November 10 and 13, 2012.Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV. "Jews, Christians, And Zoroastrians Are Welcome To Live In The Abode Of Islam, As Long As They Pay The Jizya" Murgan Salem: "They must pay the jizya poll tax. They cannot be exempted."TV host Wael Al-Abrashi: "You mean the Christians...?"Murgan Salem: "I'll tell you, just bear with me. Yes, this should be one of the sources of income of the state. The Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians are welcome...

Following are excerpts from a show featuring Egyptian Salafi Sheikh Murgan Salem, which aired on Dream 2 TV, on November 10 and 13, 2012. Murgan Salem: They must pay the jizya poll tax. They cannot be exempted. TV host Wael Al-Abrashi: You mean the Christians...? Murgan Salem: I'll tell you, just bear with me. Yes, this should be one of the sources of income of the state. The Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians are welcome to live in the Abode of Islam, as long as they pay the jizya poll tax, and abide by the terms set by the Emir of...

UN Watch, an independent Geneva-based monitoring group, has sent a letter to UNESCO, calling on the international body to take immediate action to stop Hamas from bulldozing of a 3000-year-old Gaza harbor for use as a terrorist training camp. The partial destruction of the ancient Anthedon Harbor—which includes the ruins of a Roman temple and archaeological remains from the Persian, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras—follows its nomination as a World Heritage site.

While the world was watching the Academy Awards ceremony, the people of Mosul were watching a different show. They were horrified to see ISIS members burn the Mosul public library. Among the many thousands of books it housed, more than 8,000 rare old books and manuscripts were burned.

Iraqi officials in the northern city of Mosul said Saturday that militants with the Islamic State group have begun demolishing the ancient archaeological site of Hatra in northern Iraq in a push to rid its territory of symbols it says promote idolatry. An official with the ministry of tourism and antiquities' archaeological division in Mosul told The Associated Press that multiple residents living near Hatra heard two large explosions this morning, then reported seeing bulldozers begin demolishing the site. He spoke anonymously for fear of reprisal.

....A pair of Army captains who'd planned their wedding Sunday on the 16th tee box at the Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course had to relocate the ceremony on short notice because President Obama booked a tee time to play through, according to sources familiar with the episode.... In the end, the couple was happily married nearby on the lawn of the base commander’s home overlooking the tee. They also received a congratulatory call from [Hussein]. "Listen, congratulations on your wedding," Obama said in the call. "I feel terrible. Nobody told us and had they mentioned they were going to have a...

The last few days have proved to be a crashing reality for the idol worshipers who have left a trail of drool as they have followed Barack Obama since he announced he was the reincarnation of Abraham Lincoln and offered his brilliance for the world’s top job. He announced that he was smarter than his intelligence advisers, no matter what their speciality might be. Politics? Yes, I’m smarter he told us. National Security? Ditto. Economics? Yup, I’m the smartest guy in the room. He told the New Yorker Magazine he was the absolute champion of the smart people who surround...

....The graduates at Doral Academy came to their feet when "Mr. 305" himself, Pitbull, took a break from the world stage to take center stage at the ceremony. While Pitbull didn’t go to college, and hardly made it out of high school, he still soared to success. The popular artist tops many music charts and is internationally known. Pitbull, real name Armando Christian Perez, received an honorary degree from Doral College, which shared a ceremony with Doral Academy. “Because of everybody up here, I am you, you are me,” Pitbull said. “I understand your struggle and I understand what you...

They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.(Deuteronomy 32:16-19)Man was made to worship, we were created with a need to adore something greater than we are, to open up our souls, and...

....The rapper and reality star were ,married by Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. from North Miami, according to the Sun-Sentinel.... Wilkerson runs a ministry out of Trinity Church which has locations in Miami Gardens and North Miami. He calls the couple his friends. On Sunday, CBS4 spoke with some of the church’s members about the big news.... “I want to say congratulations and they’re a role model to the church, “ said Andrew Dumas who also attends the church.

Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez will be given the Vanguard Award at the GLAAD Media Awards in April. The honour is given to "artists and media professionals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community". One of the reasons Lopez was chosen for the award by the gay rights organisation GLAAD is her role as producer on "The Fosters", a TV series about a lesbian couple raising a family of biological, adopted and foster children.

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SECOND EDITION PART ONE THE PROFESSION OF FAITH SECTION TWO THE PROFESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH CHAPTER THREE I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT ARTICLE 9 "I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH" Paragraph 6. Mary - Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church 963 Since the Virgin Mary's role in the mystery of Christ and the Spirit has been treated, it is fitting now to consider her place in the mystery of the Church. "The Virgin Mary . . . is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and of the...

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. (Psalm 2:1-4)Psalm one and Psalm two go together. Psalm one looks at an individual over against the world he lives in. The Individual is separated inwardly, he thinks differently because he has a different source, the Law of God. He meditates on...

...But if this people should be brought into bondage, as the Israelites were in ancient days, Zion must be led forth out of bondage, as Israel was at the first. In order to do this God has prophesied that he will raise up a man like unto Moses, who shall lead his people therefrom. Whether that man is now in existence, or whether it is someone yet to be born; or whether it is our present leader who has led us forth into these valleys of the mountains, whether God will grant unto us the great blessing to have his...

Definition of SmithEmphasisMas? Over-the-top renditions of Christmas themes applied to Joseph Smith! The most obvious example was the BYU Joseph Smith Nativity scene in 2005 Joseph Smith Nativity [A Virtual 'Merry Smithmas' 'Greeting Card' circa 2005] Here are three additional examples of SmithEmphasisMas: DATE 'SMITHEMPHASISMAS' WHO SAID/PUBLISHED IT/LINK 2011 (Dec. 18) (1) Headline by church-owned newspaper mentions "co-celebrants'" December birthdays: Joseph Smith gets same billing as Jesus Christ: Deseret News (owned by the Mormon Church): Two December Births to celebrate: Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith; (2) The article starts off so that you would think the writer is talking about...

Contrary to the impression that he has so assiduously worked to cultivate, Barack Obama is not a king of either the divine-right or impotent-figurehead variety, but instead the president of a republic. Having grown up in a country that still boasts the last vestiges of a once-potent monarchy, I am reasonably familiar with the role that incumbent sovereigns play in the world’s most popular constitutional arrangement, and aware too of what it takes for a modern potentate to be regarded as a success. In modern Britain, the Queen’s likeability and personality help her no end, whereas her political talent and...

At a White House Diwali celebration on Tuesday afternoon, First Lady Michelle Obama said that she and her husband wanted to celebrate all the faith and culture traditions “that make us who we are as Americans.” Even as she was saying this, there were 200 plaintiffs pursuing 77 lawsuits asking federal courts to protect their First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion from a regulation issued by the administration under Obamacare that requires health insurance plans to cover sterilizations, contraceptives and abortion inducing drugs and devices. …