Free Republic

“The majority of Russian citizens believe in God. I’m not only talking about the Orthodox—I’m also talking about Muslims and many others,” His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia said at a reception on February 1 on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of his enthronement as Patriarch, calling a reference to God to be added to the Russian constitution. After all, the Russian national anthem, one of the state symbols of the country, contains the words, “God-protected native land,” His Holiness said. “So why can’t this be said in our constitution?” he asked. “Let us pray and...

London, England, Jan 31, 2020 / 02:04 pm (CNA).- The Church of England will not be withdrawing its recent pastoral guidance affirming that sex is reserved for married, heterosexual partners, despite an apology over the statement from two of the ecclesial community's bishops. The guidance, “Civil Partnerships – for same sex and opposite sex couples. A pastoral statement from the House of Bishops of the Church of England”, was issued last month after civil partnerships were first made available to heterosexual couples. The guidance draws a clear distinction between marriage and civil partnerships, noting that sexual relations are not proper...

Zhan Qingyuan, director of pneumonia prevention and treatment at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, said even people who have recovered may not be immune to the virus. "For those patients who have been cured, there is a likelihood of a relapse," he said in a briefing on Friday. "The antibody will be generated; however, in certain individuals, the antibody cannot last that long."

[Catholic Caucus] US archbishop: Pope told us gay civil unions can be ‘acceptable’ The Pope told U.S. bishops that civil unions for homosexual couples that give them access to public benefits are 'acceptable.' VATICAN CITY, February 3, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A U.S. archbishop says Pope Francis told a group of American bishops in Rome that civil unions for homosexual couples that give them access to public benefits are “acceptable,” as long as it’s clear such arrangements can never be considered marriage. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco told LifeSiteNews that during their January 27 ad limina visit, the pope said,...

American public schools, by all the usual metrics, have steadily declined for a century. Was this inevitable? Or is there an evil plot aimed at our students? The larger pattern is clear. Each year, traditional education has less influence on public schools. Meanwhile, the theories and methods generally called Progressive grow more dominant. Progressives insist that their ideas are superior. What we know for sure is that they are taking over, like killer bees flying up from Brazil. Another thing is clear. Our Education Establishment is brilliant at concocting attractive jargon and clever marketing slogans, even for the most destructive...

A highly respected Iowa poll that was canceled from being released amid integrity issues had Joe Biden in fourth place, which could have drastically altered the news cycle and voter considerations in the days before Monday's Democratic caucuses.

    ~The FReeper Canteen Presents~ Road Trip: Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CaliforniaMarine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the US. It is on the Southern California coast, in San Diego County, and bordered by Oceanside to the south, Cleveland National Forest, San Clemente, and Orange County to the north, Riverside County to the northeast, and Fallbrook to the east.The base was established in 1942 to train U.S. Marines for service in World War II. By October 1944,...

The University of California has been requiring prospective faculty members to affirm that they support diversity. This was Orwellian in its own right—reminiscent of the university system's 1950s loyalty oaths, which required faculty to attest that they were not members of the Communist Party. It now appears that at one campus, UC-Berkeley, the diversity initiative goes much further than previously understood. Whether a candidate has proposed a specific, concrete plan to advance diversity is now being used as a litmus test for some positions. No candidate who fails the test can even be considered for employment. Abigail Thompson, a UC-Davis...

President Donald Trump is the winner of the 2020 Iowa Republican caucuses, a largely symbolic vote as he was facing no significant opposition.

FRESNO, Calif. (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential contender Michael Bloomberg vowed on Monday he would not let President Donald Trump bully him as the war of words between the two New York business tycoons and political rivals became nastier.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Democrats on Monday are kicking off the 2020 presidential nominating race at the first-in-the-nation caucuses, but many are dogged by fears that they will make the wrong pick. They universally agreed that they must oust President Trump in November but they tie themselves in knots about how to do it. Was it the “safe” choice in Joe Biden? A liberal hero in Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont or Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts? A youthful moderate such as former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg or Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota? The president, it seemed,...

I’m very sorry to be late with this monthly post; I’ve lost an old, very longtime friend over the past week; am dealing with a household issue; and am temporarily out of ideas. I’m tired of everything I cook; so I thought I’d open this February post up to the folks, to post their favorite recipe. Any – especially fresh, healthy – ideas? We lost someone else, last month, too. Many of you will remember Phyllis Stokes, whose recipes and videos we’ve often posted/discussed here. Phyllis passed away in late January, and her son posted this tribute and update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJkP-eSyHbA...

A number of House Democrats are gearing up to stage protests against President Trump's State of the Union address once again Tuesday, this time after voting to impeach him. Female Democrats are reprising their coordinated white outfits to show solidarity with women, and, as in years past, at least a handful of lawmakers are considering or planning to boycott Trump's speech in the House chamber entirely. **SNIP** Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), who introduced articles of impeachment against Trump in 2017, skipped the last two State of the Union addresses. He told The Hill that he has no intention to "go...

Born in India to Irish parents, he led campaigns in the Congo in the 1960s that earned him fame at the time, and a controversial legacy years later. His career reached an embarrassing end in 1981, when he was jailed for leading a failed coup in the Seychelles. Mr Hoare's son, Chris Hoare, said in a statement that his father died in a care facility in Durban, South Africa. "Mike Hoare lived by the philosophy that you get more out of life by living dangerously, so it is all the more remarkable that he lived more than 100 years," he...

RINO Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK) said Monday that she will not vote to convict President Trump. “I cannot vote to convict. The Constitution provides for impeachment but does not demand it in all instances.” Murkowski said. “The response to the president’s behavior is not to disenfranchise nearly 63 million Americans and remove him from the ballot. The House could have pursued censure and not immediately jumped to the remedy of last resort.” Murkowski also blasted President Trump and spread Schiff’s lie that he was advancing his personal interests when he asked Zelensky to do “us” (the country) a favor by...

[Catholic Caucus] Peace be with you Martinsville priest Father Mark White's popular blog has drawn lots of readers and the scorn of leaders of the Richmond Diocese because of his criticism of the Catholic Church's handling of sexual abuse cases. But his voice and his words have been silenced. This week he could be out of a job. The Catholic News Agency reported three weeks ago that McCarrick voluntarily had left the St. Fidelis Friary in Victoria, Kan., and would only describe his new residence as “a community for those removed from the ministry.” And a much-anticipated report from the...

(h/t HoneysuckleTN) Q is the result of the sacrifices and commitment of countless patriots to win back our captured country from the Deep State and achieve the transformation President Trump promised in this campaign video. President Trump has said the awakening of the public is key to this transformation. Q describes this awakening as follows: "The Great Awakening ('Freedom of Thought’), was designed and created not only as a backchannel to the public (away from the longstanding ‘mind’ control of the corrupt & heavily biased media) to endure future events through transparency and regeneration of individual thought (breaking the...

SCHIFF: "But this has become the President's defense. And yet, this defense proved indefensible. If abuse of power is not impeachable, even though it is clear the Founders considered it the highest of all high crimes and misdemeanors, but if it were not impeachable, then a whole range of utterly unacceptable conduct and the president would now be beyond reach. Trump could offer Alaska to the Russians in exchange for support in the next election or decide to move to Mar-a-Lago permanently and let Jared Kushner run the country, delegating to him the decision whether to go to war. Because...

Once Trump is re-elected, he can never be elected again! Only this way can America be safe!

The improving economy and voter anger with the partisan impeachment process have helped to boost President Trump’s support among blacks, Hispanics, independents, and suburban women, according to a new survey. The latest Zogby Analytics poll, shared exclusively with Secrets, also showed that the president’s job approval rating continues to edge up despite his impeachment and the ongoing Senate trial. “The president continues to receive a high approval rating near or slightly above 50% for the third straight poll. He has rebounded with Independents, women, suburban voters and suburban women,” said pollster Jonathan Zogby in his analysis. Trump now has a...