Free Republic

There is a classic story about a samurai warrior who came to understand what real courage, integrity and humility were all about. The cruelest, most violent Samurai in Japan decides he wants to become enlightened. He bursts into the home of an esteemed Zen Master and demands that the Master teach him how to become enlightened. The Zen Master looks deeply into his eyes and says, "No. You are a dirty, vicious Samurai. I will not teach you."Enraged, the Samurai yanks out his sword and places it right at the Zen Master's neck. He hollers, "Do you have any...

December 26, 2015 Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr Reading 1 Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 Stephen, filled with grace and power,was working great wonders and signs among the people.Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,and people from Cilicia and Asia,came forward and debated with Stephen,but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. When they heard this, they were infuriated,and they ground their teeth at him.But he, filled with the Holy Spirit,looked up intently to heavenand saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,and he said,"Behold,...

"I am proud of my father--not just for my own sake, but because he has honored the whole Church. He did not deny his faith. That is something wonderful. We pray for the perpetrators, that they may be converted." CAIRO—The gruesome images of the 21 Christians who were beheaded in last February by Islamic State terrorists have left a deep imprint on the memory of Christian Egyptians. Now a new church dedicated to the martyrs—who are formally recognized as such by Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church—will honor their memory in a tangible fashion: this week—after a long delay—work began on laying...

“Wake Up!”: Muslim Persecution of Christians Abetted by the West Mideast Christians beg Western governments to stop aiding the slaughter. September 23, 2015 Raymond Ibrahim    Originally published by the Gatestone Institute.Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. Not only is the Islamic State (IS) persecuting Christians but so are the U.S.-supported “rebel” forces, which the Obama administration assures are “moderate.”  According to a recent NPR report, “With backing from U.S. allies, like Turkey and Saudi Arabia, this [U.S. supported] rebel coalition fights both the Syrian regime and the so-called Islamic State, or ISIS....

The 2015 NALC Convocation focused on the reality of Christians suffering for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel. Those at the Convocation heard stories that were both heartbreaking and inspiring about Christians being killed today because of their faith in Christ. The Convocation heard keynote addresses from Pastor Bassam Abdallah, Robert Spencer and Margaret Khamoo. They highlighted the struggles Christians are facing at the hands of Muslims and explained the nature of the Islamic faith and why it is a threat to Christians. About 600 people attended the Convocation held Aug. 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel at the...

A judge on Monday unsealed the court documents of a grisly murder of a Christian man, allegedly at the hands of three Muslim immigrants in Portland, Maine. In those documents, which had been sealed since the three men were charged Aug. 11, police said they found the brutally beaten body of Freddy Akoa lying on the living-room floor in his apartment. He was the victim of a savage attack that took place over several hours. According to the autopsy report, he had cuts and bruises all over his body, with the fatal blows coming to his head. Akoa, who had...

A senior Turkish cabinet minister declared Wednesday he wished to become a “martyr” as the government fights an unprecedented offensive against Kurdish rebels, prompting astonishment and mockery on social media. “My goal is to be martyred, if Allah desires, for my religion, my nation and my country,” Energy Minister Taner Yildiz told reporters at a conference in Ankara. Turkey is currently waging an “anti-terror war” against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants, who have hit back by killing members of the security forces on a daily basis. Each of the slain troops is buried with full honours and described as a...

Full title: Muslims Take Christian Girl And Tell Her To Deny Christ. She Refuses, And They Burry Her All The Way Up To Her Neck And And Crush Her To Death With Rocks. Her Father Then Declares: “I’m grateful that she didn’t change her religion. She trusted in God.” Muslims in Nigeria — all members of Boko Haram — kidnapped a young Christian girl and demanded that she deny Christ. She refused. They buried her up to her neck and crushed her to death with rocks. Her father, a local pastor named Nkeki Mutah, took pride in his daughter’s resilience,...

It has become a common occurrence over the years for Muslims in the Middle East who have converted to Christianity to claim to have been compelled to do so after dreaming of a person who they believe is Jesus Christ. Now, one militant belonging to the brutal Islamic State that has massacred Christians has converted to his victims' religion after dreaming of "a man in white" with a startling message, according to one missionary's account. "One of our YWAM workers in the Middle East was contacted by a friend earlier this year and they met up and he was introduced...

A new document attests to the genocide that is being ignored by the world. Every year, more than 100,000 Christians are murdered just because of their faith. This means that 11 Christians are murdered every hour. The numbers are contained in a new document presented by John McAreavey, president of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Bishops of Dublin. A genocide of Christians is under way. In many Middle Eastern cities, from Aleppo to Mosul, the Islamists have dealt with each and every Christian by displacing, killing or forcibly converting them, and just like the Nazis painted the Star...

Honor to the Martyrs! A Declaration of Gratitude to the Martyrs of Our Day By: Msgr. Charles PopeIn the Divine Office last week we read a remarkable passage on the persecution of the Church. It seems proper to consider a portion of it in times like these; more on that in a moment.Of course in writing of persecution and martyrdom, I write as an American who, though experiencing a lot more scorn these days, does not have to endure grave threat for being a Catholic. But as I consider Catholics and Christians in places like Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Nigeria, the...

Excerpt - BAGHDAD: An audiotape said to be of Saddam Hussein's deputy said his group will keep fighting until the last foreign soldier withdraws from Iraq, saying the Americans are being defeated. The audiotape purportedly from Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri was obtained by The Associated Press in Baghdad on Sunday. It was impossible to determine its authenticity, but several Iraqis familiar with al-Douri's voice said they believed it from his. It was also unclear when the audiotape was made but the comments referred to Saddam as a "martyr." He was hanged Dec. 30 for his role in the deaths of more...

Recent video of 21 orange-clad Egyptian Christians being simultaneously beheaded by ISIS thugs – along with a steady stream of other horrifying reports of their crucifying, decapitating and burying Christians alive, including children – have shocked the world. But while ISIS is unquestionably a nightmare-come-true, when it comes to the alarming increase in Christian persecution worldwide the “Islamic State” is just the tip of the iceberg. As WND’s acclaimed Whistleblower magazine reveals in its powerfully moving April issue, “PERSECUTION RISING,” today’s treatment of Christians in a great many nations is disturbingly reminiscent of the brutal persecution of the early followers...

From the Martyrology today we have: "At Damascus, [in the year 743,] holy Peter Mavimeno. Some Arabs came to see him while he was ill, and to them he said, " Whoever does not embrace the Catholic Christian religion will be damned, as your false prophet Mohammed is," whereupon they killed him."

"And it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark" (Rev. 13:16-17, ESV). A baker in Oregon is fined $150,000, told he needs "rehabilitation," and put out of business for declining to bake a cake for a lesbian wedding. A baker in Colorado is fined, ordered to bake a cake in violation of his own conscience, and sent to re-education camp for the same offense. A florist in Washington is pursued...

THE CARPENTER'S SHOP: Persecution of Christians affects millions worldwide By Dr. Barry K. Carpenter Published: Friday, September 19, 2014 at 11:03 AM. Christians around the world are experiencing unprecedented persecution. Reporter and news analyst Kirsten Powers, interviewed in the Daily Beast, said, “Christians in the Middle East and Africa are being slaughtered, tortured, raped, kidnapped, beheaded, and forced to flee the birthplace of Christianity. The silence has been nearly deafening.” It seems open season on Christians. It is more pronounced, more bold, more contagious, and in more numbers than at any other time in history. It may appear to...

Baghdad (AsiaNews) - Islamic State fighters spills more Christian blood in Iraq as they continue to persecute unarmed civilians, including children. Sources within the Chaldean Patriarchate told AsiaNews that yesterday Sunni fundamentalists tortured and killed a Christian man in Bartala, a small predominantly Syriac town in the Niniveh Plains that has been occupied by Jihadists for the past few weeks. He was part of a small group who did not flee when the place was overrun. According to reports from a witness, the martyr - as the Patriarchate calls him - was a man of 43, Salem Matti Kourki. He...

A crowd of family, friends, music stars, civil rights leaders and preachers gathered at the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church on Monday for the memorial of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old robbery suspect who was fatally shot by local police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo.Brown’s uncle, Pastor Charles Ewing, gave a passionate eulogy and made parallels of his nephew’s life and that of the life of Jesus Christ. “Michael Brown was 18 years old. He was shot around noon. Our Lord and Savior hung on the cross — now compare our time frame 12 o’clock to the Jewish time frame...

In a brief, two-and-a-half minute YouTube video entitled “Mass”, the well-known Catholic public speaker paints a powerful picture of what a privilege it is to attend Mass in freedom and how this can be so easily taken for granted. On one hand, Stefanick recalls a recent text from a friend of his in Irag: “Please pray for our church, where all the people are held captive by terrorists.” A few hours later, another text followed: “Lord have mercy.” Shortly thereafter, everyone in that Catholic Church – men, women and children – were gunned down and killed. On the other hand,...

Members of the House of Commons were told that the persecution of Christians is increasing, that one Christian is killed around every 11 minutes around the world, and that Christianity is the “most persecuted religion globally”. A long list of countries in which life as a Christian is most difficult was discussed, including Syria, North Korea, Eritrea, Nigeria, Iraq and Egypt. MP Jim Shannon said the persecution of Christians is “the biggest story in the world that has never been told”. He said that although the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is enshrined in the Universal Declaration...