Free Republic

Pope Benedict XVI has made a sweeping exoneration of the Jewish people for the death of Jesus Christ, tackling one of the most controversial issues in Christianity in a new book. In Jesus of Nazareth-Part II excerpts released on Wednesday, Benedict explains biblically and theologically why there is no basis in Scripture for the argument that the Jewish people as a whole were responsible for Jesus' death. Interpretations to the contrary have been used for centuries to justify the persecution of Jews. While the Catholic Church has for five decades taught that Jews weren't collectively responsible, Jewish scholars said on...

Wal-Mart Stores Inc said it has dropped plans to build a superstore near the site of an historic 1864 Civil War battlefield in Virginia, bowing to pressure from preservationists. The world's largest retailer had been approved to build on the 52-acre site near Orange, Virginia, but ran into strong opposition from those looking to preserve the site near one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The Battle of the Wilderness, considered one of the war's turning points, marked the first clash between the two sides' top generals -- Ulysses Grant for the Union and Robert E. Lee of...

Oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens' TV commercials blasted the airwaves in 2008 with his big idea to get America off foreign oil imports: natural gas and wind energy. Two years later, let’s just make that natural gas. Since the billionaire’s plans for the world’s largest wind farm fell apart in the Texas Panhandle, Pickens has edited his much-hyped “Pickens Plan” to focus primarily on his other big business interest: natural gas. Touting 1.7 million Pickens Plan supporters, he’s now pushing Congress to pass legislation that would offer incentives to convert 18-wheelers and fleet vehicles to run on compressed natural gas,...

There’s a wonderful riddle about the stranger traveling in the land of the two tribes — liars and truth tellers. Members of the two tribes look identical. The difference is that one tribe always lies, and one tribe always tells the truth. The stranger is walking along a road trying to reach the capital. Presently he comes to a fork, at which is standing one of the locals. The stranger is unable to detect whether the local is a truth-teller or a liar. But he needs to find out which fork leads to the capital. He is permitted one question....

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — The college vote is up for grabs this year — to an extent that would have seemed unlikely two years ago, when a generation of young people seemed to swoon over Barack Obama. Though many students are liberals on social issues, the economic reality of a weak job market has taken a toll on their loyalties: far fewer 18- to 29-year-olds now identify themselves as Democrats compared with 2008. “Is the recession, which is hitting young people very hard, doing lasting or permanent damage to what looked like a good Democratic advantage with this age group?”...

Google translation: Chief prosecutor Eva Is anhållningsbeslutet has lifted by Julian Assange. She does not believe that there are reasons for him to remain in custody. I do not think there is reason to suspect that he committed rape, "says Eva Finn. Eva Is leaving no further comment on Saturday. .

(The article and other links, see below, are all in Swedish. So far international media has not reacted. But it will not be long....) Julian Assange is wanted by Swedish police on probable grounds suspected of rape. Two women 20 and 30 years old contacted the police on Friday.

fter weeks of heated debate over plans for an Islamic community center near Ground Zero – the site of the 9/11 attacks on New York - it seems Muslim leaders will soon back down, agreeing to move to a new site. The decision follows a high-profile campaign against the project that included advertisements on New York buses showing images of the burning Twin Towers, an iconic landmark razed when al-Qaida terrorists flew packed passenger planes into them in 2001. The New York Republican party is also said to be planning a hostile television campaign. Sources in New York said on...

Chelsea Clinton’s wedding—now dubbed “the wedding of the century”—is such an exclusive event that HUMAN EVENTS had not been able to find anyone who is actually attending the July 31 wedding. So many of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s friends and supporters are not invited to the wedding that feelings are getting hurt and egos bruised.

The NCAA just blew up USC football's world by forcing the Trojans to forfeit their victory in the '05 Orange Bowl ... a win that earned them the National Championship. This all comes after an NCAA investigation concluded Reggie Bush got improper benefits while at USC. According to the NCAA findings Bush received a car, and his family received a house and other financial benefits.

MYFOXNY.COM - A passenger was reportedly pulled off of an Emirates Airlines aircraft at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens on Thursday morning. The passenger was reportedly discovered to be on the no-fly list, according to Breaking News Network.

Sen. Blanche Lincoln, under fire for keeping a $4,500 contribution from Goldman Sachs’s political action committee, has canceled a fundraising lunch with Goldman executives that was scheduled for Monday and would have netted many times that amount for the Arkansas Senator’s reelection campaign. The cancelled fundraiser, which was to have been held at Goldman’s Lower Manhattan headquarters, is emblematic of the investment bank’s swift fall from well-connected fundraising powerhouse to political pariah – a fate sealed Friday when the Securities and Exchange Commission charged the firm with defrauding investors

Obama cancels Poland trip due to volcano fallout The Associated Press Saturday, April 17, 2010; 2:56 PM WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has canceled plans to travel to Poland for the funeral of President Lech Kaczynski (lekh kah-CHIN'-skee). A White House statement Saturday cited hazardous flying conditions posed by the ash cloud from the erupting volcano in Iceland. The cloud has forced huge portions of European airspace to be closed. The fear is that microscopic particles of highly abrasive ash could endanger passengers by causing aircraft engines to fail. Obama was to leave Washington on Saturday night for Sunday's state...

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's nominee to head the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel has withdrawn her bid for confirmation after several Republicans objected to her criticism of the Bush administration's terrorist interrogation policies. Dawn Johnsen's withdrawal was disclosed Friday by White House officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a personnel matter.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled a planned trip to Washington next week to take part in President Barack Obama's 47-country nuclear security summit conference.

* Netanyahu fears Islamic ambush at conference * Sends a deputy in his place to Washington (Updates with White House, Liz Cheney comments)

Sarah Palin is refusing to be tied down by the Republican National Committee, days after the committee was found to have spent donors' money at an erotic, bondage-themed club. The former Alaska governor has asked the RNC to remove her name from an official invite to a New Orleans fundraiser next week, even though she'll be in the Big Easy for a separate GOP event. The one-time Republican vice presidential nominee "will not take part in any RNC fundraiser in New Orleans," an aide told Politico.com. The apparent snub comes days after federal disclosure forms showed the RNC spent nearly...

A controversial student-directed play at Tarleton State University that would have portrayed Jesus as a homosexual has been canceled. According to a press release from the university, the professor of the theatre directing class decided to cancel the Saturday production of "Corpus Christi" because of safety and security concerns for the students, as well as the need to maintain an orderly academic environment.

CHICAGO - Congressman Bart Stupak's invitation to deliver the keynote speech at next month's Illinois Catholic Prayer Breakfast has been withdrawn. The event's president, Michael Sullivan, says he and other Illinois Catholics felt betrayed when the Michigan Democrat set aside abortion concerns to vote for President Barack Obama's healthcare bill.

The anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List group announced tonight they will strip Rep. Bart Stupak of the "Defender of Life" award that he's received several times. The group blasted Stupak's role in forging a compromise with the White House on abortion language in an executive order and said he is no longer truly "pro-life." The group says President Obama's executive order was "unacceptable" and they are redoubling efforts to elect "true" pro-life candidates. SBA List Candidate Fund President Marjorie Dannenfelser issued a statement saying the group had been planning to honor Stupak (D-MI) for his efforts at their Campaign for...