Free Republic

Yes, there is a red America and a blue America, at least according to television viewing habits. Our friends at National Media, a Republican ad-buying firm, sent us this map of a recent television event. Using data from Rentrak, a company that monitors data from set-top boxes, the map shows what percentage of television viewers in specific designated market areas watched this television event live.

The controversy over Phil Robertson’s comments about homosexuality remind us of the consequences of a public figure speaking their true thoughts about modern morality. It also shows us the selective nature of censorship. Here’s how. Robertson is the CEO of Duck Commander company and one of the family stars of the popular television series Duck Dynasty. He is a Christian and like many of his Southern neighbors is not ashamed or afraid to state his beliefs in clear language. While giving an interview to GQ magazine he quoted from 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 where the apostle Paul clearly showed the consequences...

Phil Robertson, patriarch of the “Duck Dynasty” clan, is being slammed for controversial comments he made about homosexuality in an interview in the January issue of GQ. “It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me,” Robertson told the magazine. “I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.” When the reporter asked Robertson what he found sinful, he said “Start with homosexual behavior and just...

From the top of the Drudge Report to every major media outlet, a GQ interview with the founding father of the Robertson clan of Duck Dynasty fame is making waves for so-called “anti-gay” remarks. In rather graphic and blunt language, Phil Robertson describes the complementary anatomy of men and women leading to natural attraction. Beyond that, Robertson responded to the question, “What, in your mind, is sinful?” “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there,” he said. “Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men." “Don’t be deceived,” he added, paraphrasing...

<p>A+E Networks, parent company of A&E, has released the following statement to Variety: “We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty. His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community.”</p>

The stars of "Duck Dynasty" might be America's most popular TV family, but that could change very soon — because Phil Robertson has made some strong (and seriously offensive) anti-gay remarks that have sparked instant backlash. Speaking with GQ, Robertson lamented that when "everything is blurred on what's right and what's wrong ... sin becomes fine." So just what qualifies as sinful in his book? "Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there — bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men," he declared.

 Jim Hinch argues in The American Scholar that evangelicalism is on decline in America. This thesis is not new. He’s accessing trends in polling data that evangelicals have been aware of for years. The article focuses on the demise of Robert Schuller and his Crystal Cathedral as a parable of what’s happening in evangelicalism writ large. Hinch then argues that Rob Bell’s flight from the pastorate and from his own megachurch is a leading indicator of where younger evangelicals are trending. In short, they’re leaving the movement. And in Bell’s case in particular, they’re leaving the church altogether. Hinch writes:Yet, like so many...

Dear Greg, Your views on gay marriage bother me. Shouldn’t consenting adults be allowed to do whatever they want as long as they’re not hurting anyone? What harm is there? I know you think there could be potential damage to society if we allow the traditional marriage to be threatened, but what is the threat? It won't have any impact on traditional marriages if gays are simply allowed to make that same commitment. If you think this will just lead to the slippery slope of other compromises on marriage, like condoning marriage to animals, this is unlikely because animals are...

Your Holiness, It's difficult to know how or where to begin this Open Letter on the necessity of establishing a Papal Commission of Inquiry into Homosexuality, Pederasty, and the "Gay Lobby" in the Catholic Church. But since I must begin somewhere let me start with Question 21 posed to you by Brazilian journalist, Ilze Scamparini, during your first press conference of July 28, 2013 aboard the papal aircraft on route to Rome from World Youth Day in Rio, Here is the reported dialogue between you and Scamparini which touches upon the key topics of this missive:

Those seeking to overcome lust face a unique problem. Not only must they resist new temptations that come their way, but they must also deal with things in the past that they have seen and done. Years ago, a pastor at a men’s retreat called this his “drawer full of memories.” He bemoaned things he had seen and experienced and that the memory of these caused him enduring problems. When he least expected it, these memories would pop out of the drawer and cause him to lose his way.

'I'm not here to be preaching hate, pushing people down' God “absolutely” approves of everyone — including homosexuals — declared one of America’s most well-known evangelical pastors The Houston megapastor and best-selling author Joel Osteen, whose followers include the likes of Cher and Oprah Winfrey, is hitting the talk-show circuit to promote his new book, “Break Out! Osteen, the very visible face of Lakewood Church in Houston since 1999,  talked to the Huffington Post about his thoughts on prayer, the pope and the homosexual lifestyle. HuffPo Live host Josh Zepps quoted from Osteen’s new book: “It doesn’t matter who...

(I received this the other day. It's written by Pastor Tom Brock) -Today I walked through my old alma mater, Luther Theological Seminary in St Paul, Mn. It is known as probably the most conservative of the ELCA seminaries. You wouldn’t know it from the number of gay/lesbian bumper stickers in the parking lot. Upon entering the main building a sign was up promoting a new book at Luther’s Bookstore, “Pastrix” by ELCA Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber. She was a favorite speaker at the ELCA Youth Assembly and a few months ago spoke at the historic Central Lutheran Church in downtown...

The moral question of lying is one of the most interesting and most difficult to resolve perfectly and precisely. It has occupied the attention of moral theologians since the Patristic Age, yet we still don’t have a complete understanding of what “lying” means. Most of us have a deep intuition that it is morally acceptable to speak falsely in some circumstances, but the Church has not yet offered an official explanation as to why this is the case. Presumably, there is room for doctrinal development here, and I find the question fascinating.

There are just times when a saint speaks and one is stunned by the insight, the piercing analysis, like a surgeon’s scalpel dividing diseased from healthy tissue. Such is the case with a quote I read recently from St. Bernard that Ralph Martin references in his Book “The Fulfillment of all desires.”In this quote Bernard analyzes the descent into the increasing darkness of sin experienced by those who do not turn back, who refuse to hear the call to repent. And not individuals only, but, I would argue, cultures too.St. Bernard’s quote is long enough that I can only make...

SPRINGFIELD-The head of Springfield’s Roman Catholic diocese moved Tuesday to scuttle a silent protest by same-sex marriage advocates planned at the capital city’s largest Catholic church, calling their plans to pray the rosary for marriage equality “blasphemous.”Advocates for the Senate Bill 10 plan to attend a 5:15 p.m. Tuesday Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception as part of what organizers describe as a “loud Catholic Presence for marriage equality” that will wrap up a daylong rally in support of the stalled legislation.But Bishop Thomas Paprocki, head of the Springfield Catholic diocese, said anyone wearing rainbow sashes won’t be...

Pope Francis greets pilgrims druing his general audience on Sept. 25, 2013. Credit: Elise Harris / CNA. Vatican City, Sep 28, 2013 / 10:48 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis celebrated Mass for the Vatican police force today, exhorting them to fight in the war against evil by rejecting the temptation to gossip. He warned that among those who live and work in the Vatican, “the devil seeks to create an internal war, a kind of civil spiritual war” by means of idle chatter, said Pope Francis on September 28. The temptation to gossip is present for everyone, noted Pope Francis,...

The Bible identifies several kinds of sexual sin, including fornication, adultery, incest and homosexuality. Homosexual behavior is unequivocally and consistently portrayed in the Bible as sin (Genesis 19:5 with Jude 1:7; Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; I Corinthians 6:9-10; and I Timothy 1:10). The biblical witness on this point could not be any clearer.

A sign in front of a church in Tennessee is causing quite a buzz in the community over its message. The sign at St. John’s United Methodist Church reads, “Jesus had two dads and he turned out just fine.” …

For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.( 2 Corinthians 7:8-10)The scripture above addresses a very serious aspect of the...

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.( I Timothy 2:24-26)When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.(Acts 11:18)The Christian journey always begins with repentance. There will be no salvation, no...