Free Republic

To Catholic MEP Isabel Benjumea, the manger scene is 'the most beautiful way to preach the Gospel.'BRUSSELS, Belgium (LifeSiteNews) –European Parliament is displaying a nativity scene this year for the first time in its history after its former president deemed it could offend non-Christians. Spanish Catholic Isabel Benjumea has aspired to install a creche at the Brussels-based headquarters since 2019, when she was elected Member of the European Parliament (MEP). It was not until this year that Benjumea had the support of Roberta Metsola, who was elected as president in January. While Benjumea ran up against bureaucratic red tape and...

News emerged this week that Ford has parked around 40,000 unfinished new vehicles waiting for parts. If you thought parts shortages couldn't get any worse for the auto industry than they did last year, then it's time to hit reset. We've seen multiple car companies, including international giants like Honda and Toyota, struggle to deliver vehicles simply because they can't source the components they need. The same is true with Ford, which announced this week that up to 45,000 vehicles will be held in its inventory this quarter until they receive essential parts—mainly chips. The Blue Oval has made use...

Republican Kari Lake on Friday filed a lawsuit to nullify the 2022 midterm election results for the governor’s race in the state of Arizona. ....Snip.... "Maricopa County election officials engaged in numerous breaches of Arizona election law in their handling and custody of ballots, making it impossible to conclude that the vote tallies reported by Maricopa County accurately reflect the votes cast by Arizona voters,” contends the lawsuit. Kari Lake’s team of expert attorneys have gathered evidence from signed witness testimony, Runbeck whistleblowers, and Maricopa County whistleblowers to craft a 70-page lawsuit against Maricopa County and Secretary of State Katie...

Amid public outcry demanding an end to Beijing’s zero-COVID policy, Chinese state media recently set off a wave of criticism against COVID testing companies. One China expert claims the regime is preparing to take down a powerful group behind the COVID testing industry and using it as a scapegoat to divert public attention from the mass protests fueled by draconian pandemic measures. On Nov. 29, the regime’s mouthpiece, People’s Daily, published a commentary titled “If the COVID testing chaos continues, the epidemic will never end.” It claims that COVID-19 has not been eradicated because of unreliable and poorly made nucleic...

It’s been 55 years since Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first premiered on NBC, and watching the beloved TV special is still a Christmastime tradition for many families. You couldn’t ask for a more inspiring gang of outsiders than Rudolph, wannabe dentist/elf Hermey, and everyone’s favorite prospector, Yukon Cornelius. After being cast out by their respective tribes, the trio turns to each other for companionship. One question that has plagued the stop motion animation classic for years is why the doll, known as Dolly for Sue to some, is on the island. She never reveals what’s "wrong" with her, and nothing...

A barrage of HIMARS missiles was unleashed on the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Melitopol. The Ukrainian city of Melitopol is under attack again this evening, Saturday, December 10. Images and video footage posted on social media show various locations burning. It is believed that at least eight missiles found their targets without being shot down by air defences. There are casualties reported but the number is yet to be specified. -snip- Meanwhile, Ivan Federov, the mayor of Melitopol wrote on his Telegram channel: “Fire, water and toasted Russians”. In another post, he added information about the strikes: “Occupiers, what’s all...

After the 2022 midterm elections and the failure of the "Red Wave" to materialize, there has been a crack-up in party leadership at every level. The conservative base wants RINO scalps, and the establishment wants to blame Trump. The battle for the party's soul is no more apparent than it is in the leadership battle at the Republican National Committee. There have been several interesting and captivating names thrown out there for RNC Chair. Lee Zeldin, the gubernatorial candidate in New York who had a strong showing by going on the offense against far-left Democrats; Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder...

On this date in 1541, Thomas Culpeper and Francis Dereham paid the penalty for their indiscretions; the former queen would see her lovers’ severed heads mounted on pikestaffs on London Bridge as she was rowed to the Tower. The onetime court favorite Culpeper was beheaded for cuckolding the royal person, and that’s no more than one would expect. But the political pull-less Dereham — who had slept with (and possibly “pre-contracted” to wed) the willing young Kate before she meant anything to the king — enjoyed the full measure of the traitor’s torture: hanged, emasculated, eviscerated, and dismembered, all of...

BANNON: We have an illegitimate regime in the White House and it was put there by members of President Trump’s administration. … Barr, Wray, the DOJ, the FBI, … History repeats itself. This happened before after a landslide victory in the early 1970s. The presidents name was Richard Nixon. The scandal was Watergate. The FBI removed a sitting president who just won a landslide victory.

THE REAL MEANING OF PEACE There once was a King who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for the peaceful towering mountains all around. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace. The other picture had mountains too....

Incoming House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) called for arms to Ukraine to help destroy the Russian military as public officials have increasingly warned about the prospect of a “major war” between the West and Russia. CBS News asked McCaul about House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) claim that a House Republican majority would not send a “blank check” to Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin had been due to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this month. However, in a sign of growing Russian isolation on the world stage, an Indian government source said the meeting has now been abruptly cancelled. The move to cancel the annual face-to-face meeting was taken after veiled threats by Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war, according to Bloomberg News. Indian and Russian leaders have held face-to-face meetings every year for the past 21 years - except for 2020 due to Covid. An Indian official told Bloomberg that a meeting with President...

The first video has appeared online depicting the Ukrainian army’s ex-Slovenian M-55S tanks. The video depicts what appears to be a four-person M-55S crew training on its new-old vehicle. The thick mud—a sticky hallmark of Ukraine’s wet early winter—might confirm the video is recent. The M-55S despite its age could represent a glimpse at the Ukrainian army’s tank future. It’s all about the gun. The M-55S is a deeply modernized Soviet T-55, a tank type that first entered service in the late 1950s. In the 1990s, the Slovenian army paid Israeli firm Elbit and STO RAVNE in Slovenia to modify...

The Second Week Of Advent Matthew 17:9a, Matthew 17:10-13Friends, today’s Gospel passage identifies the appearance of John the Baptist with the expected return of the prophet Elijah. John, the herald of Christ, appears in the desert. Here he stands for all of us in the desert of sin, the lifeless place. It is as though John purposely went there to remind us of our need for grace.What is he proclaiming? A baptism of repentance. This is the great message. Turn your life over to a higher power. People are coming to him from all sides, because in our heart of...

City Comptroller Brad Lander is cheerleading a new bill that would prohibit Big Apple businesses from firing employees without just cause – but critics say he doesn’t practice what he preaches.

What a tremendous Game! First OT Game!

Praying daily since 2015: AMERICA Prayer Vigil … And this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His Will, He hears us.—1 John 5:14 Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, and the Media. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ~ 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Religion Forum Threads labeled [Prayer]...

People have hunted for discarded goods in dumpsters and trash cans for decades. But in the last few years, it's developed a massive following on TikTok, with dozens of people chronicling their dumpster diving excursions, proudly posting their hauls, and raising awareness about the excessive, unnecessary waste from some businesses. The yield for these dives seems especially bountiful around holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, where stores have specific seasonal stock they can't sell after the fact. In the last week, creators have uploaded dozens of new videos of dives and hauls under the hashtag "#DumpsterDiving," which has amassed nearly...

Brittney Griner’s wife called for the release of former US Marine Paul Whelan from Russian captivity, in a heartfelt social media post thanking people for support while her wife was detained. “I appreciate each and every one of you! Let’s continue to use our hands, voices, platforms, and resources to bring Paul and all Americans home,” Cherelle Griner wrote on Instagram. “All families deserve to be whole!” Cherelle also thanked dozens of people and groups in the post, including the Biden administration, the WNBA and Rev. Al Sharpton.

Relax….just a simple case of dehydration…..happens all the time… Weird scientists weren’t baffled this time… Soon on the growing ‘Died Suddenly’ list?