Free Republic

Doing pro-life work is often met with resistance, sometimes from where we least expect it. Whether we make the Biblical case for public pro-life action or for a boycott of companies that support Planned Parenthood, Christians have responded that there are too many societal sins to justify a focus on fighting abortion. And when we point out the urgency of God’s command to do all we can to save “those that are ready to be slain,” others defend their inaction by saying something along these lines: “Remember, all sins are equal!” It is not my intention to vilify those people....

New survey research shows that Christians who support same-sex marriage are more likely to hold permissive views on other sexual morality issues, such as divorce and pornography, similar to the general population and far different from Christians who support traditional marriage.The "Relationships in America" survey, conducted by University of Texas sociologist Mark Regnerus, interviewed 15,738 Americans between the ages of 18 and 60. From that sample, Regnerus compared the average views on a range of sexual morality issues of churchgoing Christians who oppose same-sex marriage (2,659 in the sample) and churchgoing Christians who support same-sex marriage (990 in the sample)....

"Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me!” (Psalms 19:13) If you as a believer know what you need to do to overcome lust but then do the opposite, you are acting in willful disobedience. This is presumptuous and arrogant sinning and it comes with a price. As David understood fully, by arrogantly and selfishly entering into sin, you are allowing sin to gain dominion over you. You become an “addict” to a life-dominating sin—a slave with no way out.

There was an interfaith gathering Tuesday evening to support marriage equality in Warren at Renaissance Unity Church. About 80 people were in attendance....

Amid the reports emerging out of Liberia, it’s difficult to discern what is true and what isn’t. But the fear they carry is undeniable: Fear of the disease, fear of dead bodies, fear that God himself has sent down a terrible plague to blight the people of Liberia for their transgressions.There are local reports that “armed men” are allegedly trying to poison wells “to kill in the name of Ebola.” There are reports that the government is dumping bodies by the truckload at a mass grave on the west bank of a river and nearby residents fret over water contamination. And there...

For those who do not understand the blind loyalty of people who follow Al Gore and his Global Warming crusade, you must understand that to them it is nothing short of a religious belief.That’s right; Global Warming is a religion whose god is Mother Earth. For Al Gore and other politicians, it’s just another means to control the masses, but the religious aspect of Global Warming is ultimately how they are able to convince so many people that it truly does exist and man is responsible for creating it.To really explain what it is I mean, I need to...

Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) announced his support for gay marriage Monday, saying that he believes it is "fully appropriate" for a state to recognize both same-sex marriages and "traditional" ones, even though he, as a Christian, believes in the the latter. When asked by The Washington Post whether he supports gay marriage, in light of a Florida judge's decision last week to overturn the state's ban, Jolly said that his personal views on marriage are that it should be limited to one man and one woman. But, he added, states should not be defining the "sanctity" of marriage.

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP) -- There are atheists and liberals, some who are both, who believe there is no need for God in order for morality to be maintained in a society. They argue that people can act morally apart from a supreme authority. I agree that people can act morally apart from God's standard. However, the real question is why should they? If there is no supreme authority -- no God -- then why behave morally? If there is no God, there are no objective standards for moral behavior. The logical progression leads to anarchy. Everyone does what is right...

Rev Andrew Cain puts wedding pictures on Facebook as first cleric to marry same sex partner stripped of permission to work as a priestA second priest has defied the Church of England's official line to marry his same sex partner. On Saturday, the Rev Andrew Cain, vicar of St James church in West Hampstead, London, posted on Facebook pictures of his wedding to Stephen Foreshew. The wedding took place as the first priest to marry his partner, Canon Jeremy Pemberton, confirmed that he had been stripped of the permission to work as a priest in the diocese of Southwell and...

How are Christians with same sex attraction supposed to deal with lust? This question is prompted by some videos recently made available from an evangelical pastor, Danny Cortez, and his teenage son, Drew, who has same sex attraction. Pastor Cortez and his church are stepping away from their denomination (the SBC) and are now affirming same sex relationships, conforming with the broader culture. The attention surrounding same sex attraction provides an opportunity for us to acknowledge that we do not generally do a good job in teaching about sexual purity. Churches and leaders that are vocal in attacking homosexual practices...

The Church of England has reinstated the word “sin” into baptism services after a backlash from parishes who complained a new wording was “bland”, “dumbed down” and "nothing short of dire". Plans to introduce an alternative order of service using more “accessible” language, have had to be redrawn after members inundated Lambeth Palace with letters complaining the move went too far. But the church is to press ahead with plans to banish references to “the Devil” from the new format. An official explanation sent out to members of the Church’s General Synod, following a trial of the proposed wording, said...

DETROIT — The top legislative body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has taken major steps toward recognizing gay marriage. The General Assembly voted Thursday in favor of redefining Christian marriage in the church constitution as the union of "two people," not just "a man and a woman." The redefinition will take effect only if most of the 172 regional Presbyteries approve it in voting over the next year.

Whenever the American people try to curtail abortion or maintain marriage laws, the followers of Satan will be there to fight back, promises the national spokesman for the Satanic Temple. “Lucien Greaves” told Detroit's Metro Times that he would like to help women avoid complying with pro-life laws by saying abortion restrictions violate their Satanic religious beliefs. He added that gay “marriage” is a Satanic “sacrament.” He said Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican from the party's moderate business wing, “has been trying to make it untenable for women to terminate a pregnancy.” A bill that Snyder signed – which...

The battle against temptation in our lives is, of course, an ongoing struggle. Some moments and periods of our life provide more temptation than others, but no day goes by without at least some sort of temptation. While it is important to battle temptation in the moment, it is also important to build ourselves up by grace so that in moments of temptation we can draw on that strength and preparation to more easily win the battle.Obviously, recourse to prayer, the Sacraments, and the Scriptures are essential in building ourselves up. But it is also instructive for us to observe...

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...

I may have figured out why the Department of Veterans Affairs had such difficulty finding time to treat patients. It’s because it was working overtime to give its chapels a religiously neutral makeover. But as VA officials in Iron Mountain, Mich., learned, one man’s renovation is another man’s desecration. Some folks in Iron Mountain became infuriated earlier this month when they discovered that statues of Jesus and Mary, along with a cross and altar, were hidden behind a curtain in the chapel of the VA hospital there. The chapel still has stained glass windows, though for how long is unclear....

Adapted from "Unworthy: How to Stop Hating Yourself" by Anneli Rufus “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.” – Bertrand Russell Is low self-esteem all that bad? Self-loathing is. But between self-loathing and narcissism is a vast spectrum comprising infinitely various degrees of self-regard. Neither extreme is good. If only we could just reach medium. In 1986, California state assembly member John Vasconcellos proposed the State Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem. This ignited a new movement: Based on the notion that low self-esteem...

Those who believe in traditional marriage had better get used to it. We’ve lost this battle in the culture wars. The homosexualists have succeeded in framing their situation as a struggle. Increasingly their gay pride will be seen as a struggle for equal rights and those who oppose their proclivities will be branded as racists and once that is accomplished the use of force against those who stand for marriage will begin. If you want to know why the gays are winning read Robert R. Reilly’s excellent new book Making Gay Okay: How Rationalizing Homosexual Behavior Is Changing Everything. Brad...

“If you continue in my word you shall be my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”(John 8:32)“Promising them liberty, when they themselves are the slaves of corruption, for by what a man is overcome, by that is he enslaved” (2 Peter 2:19)There is a true freedom, according to Jesus, Yet the apostle Peter warns us against the slavery of a false freedom. How can we know the difference between the true and the false freedom? Only by appealing to the original document of human liberty, the Holy Bible. The Bible addresses...