Free Republic

A state law in California ostensibly meant to make it easier for religious institutions and nonprofit colleges to rezone their property for building low-income housing for the homeless is now being used to potentially confiscate church property, according to legal experts in the Golden State. The controversy began in October 2023, when California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed into law a measure that allowed religious institutions and nonprofit colleges to bypass local zoning laws in order to quickly establish affordable housing. The measure was apparently intended to make it easier for local jurisdictions to abide by state regulations that...

Two church non-profits have taken in at least $62 M to build the Somali community in Minnesota — leading to the rise of Ilhan Omar and the fraud scandals that have gripped that state. Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services were at the forefront of reshaping MN thanks to generous government contracts stemming back generations. “This is a very big pile of government money and a whole bunch of different groups have come to get their own slice of it,” Parker Thayer, an immigration expert at the Capital Research Center...total money pouring into MN resettlement programs is “in the hundreds...

Join together with Fellow FREEPERS to Pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, and the Media. 'And this is the Confidence that we have in Him, that, if we Ask Anything According to His Will, He Heareth us.' 1 John 5:14. Religion Forum Threads Labeled [Prayer] are Closed to Debate of Any Kind.

New undercover footage shows a minister at Democrat U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico’s longtime church describing evangelical churches as “almost cult-like” and claiming white men in Texas are afraid of black and Hispanic Americans gaining political power. Rev. Babs Miller, Minister to the Parish at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin, also said some evangelicals treat the Bible as a “magic book” and are “slightly or maybe greatly misguided.” In the footage obtained by Texas Scorecard, Miller was asked, “What is wrong with evangelicals?” Miller responded that some people “pick words over people,” pointing to how evangelicals interpret the Bible....

For decades, American churches wrestled with a familiar problem: Where are the men? Women filled the pews, volunteered in ministries, brought the children and often carried much of the spiritual life of the family. Men consistently lagged behind in church attendance and religious participation. Something remarkable is now happening. The gender gap is reversing — and it may be starting much earlier than anyone expected. New research from Barna Group and Christ In Youth found that 57 percent of self-identified Christian teenagers attended a youth group within the previous three months. But buried inside that number is the real surprise....

New undercover footage shows a minister at Democrat U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico’s longtime church saying the congregation does not have “a lot of people who are religious” and describing St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church as “not a belief-based church.” In the video obtained by Texas Scorecard, Rev. Carol Johnson describes St. Andrew’s as a “sanctuary church” and says an illegal alien from Guatemala who has “worked here for 8 years” has been living inside the church. “We don’t have a lot of people who are religious here,” said Johnson. “We’re not a belief-based church. We’re a values-based church,” she added....

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, Religious Freedom 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] are closed to debate of any kind. "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Set things in order. Be encouraged. Agree with one another. Be at peace. And the God...

Progressive Church To Allow Mail-In Attendance Church Sep 3, 2026 · BabylonBee.com PORTLAND, ME — Progressive local church First United Methodist of Portland announced that it would now be offering a mail-in attendance option for its parishioners. In an effort to avoid discriminating against attendees who may not be willing or able to actually appear for service in person, the church decided to give congregants the option to record their attendance by mail. "Mail-in attendance is no different than attending church in person. It counts exactly the same," explained Pastor Damien Wagner. "Simply request an attendance card from the church,...

Much has been made about Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico’s version, or perversion, of “Christianity.”The Democrat nominee has called St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Austin home since he was two years old, he says. It has been led for 35 years by Rev. Jim Rigby, whom Talarico calls a “mentor.” Rev. Babs Miller is “Minister to the Parish,” according to the progressive church’s website. So, one might conclude Miller knows a thing or two about St. Andrews’ congregants and their beliefs.“We still have people in this church who wish that the young man had not just nicked his ear,...

Till depth do us part! An extremely gutsy bride had a truly “wet wedding” — wading down the aisle of an utterly inundated church before tying the knot in the Philippines on Tuesday. Newlyweds Gilbert Chico and Liean Liza Chico got hitched at St. John the Baptist in Hagonoy, Bulacan, despite heavy rainfall that completely saturated the province this week, causing waist-high water to swamp the sanctuary, according to Viral Press. “We had been looking forward to this day for so long, and we did not want the rain and flooding to stop us from getting married,” said the lovebirds....

Maine’s highest court has ruled that a father can prevent his daughter from attending a Calvary Chapel with her mother in a contested custody case after a lower court accepted an expert's claim that the congregation is akin to a "cult." The Maine Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) released a unanimous ruling Tuesday in Emily A. Bickford v. Matthew A. Bradeen, authored by Chief Justice Valeria Stanfill. At issue is an order of “shared parental rights and responsibilities” between Bickford and Bradeen, in which the two disagreed over who would control their child’s religious upbringing. Bradeen objected to Bickford bringing the...

The First Amendment protects both freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, but those rights do not give activists carte blanche to invade a church and take over the service. Or so I thought. Now, however, a group of activists who did just that has filed a motion to dismiss federal civil rights charges, arguing that its conduct amounted to “pure speech and assembly” protected by the First Amendment. According to the motion, “The Constitution does not contain any exception to free speech in churches.” Such a statement might make sense if the agitators faced charges related to free speech,...

A troubling court ruling out of Maine should have Christians paying attention. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has upheld an order giving a father final authority to prevent his daughter from attending an evangelical church after arguments that the religious environment was psychologically harmful to the girl. At the center of the controversy is Calvary Chapel Greater Portland in Westbrook, Maine, where the girl's mother, Emily Bickford, had been taking her to services. Her father, Matthew Bradeen, objected. In 2024, a Portland District Court gave him authority to determine whether his daughter could continue attending the church, and Maine's highest...

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, Religious Freedom 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] are closed to debate of any kind. "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Set things in order. Be encouraged. Agree with one another. Be at peace. And the God...

A firebug suspected of torching a landmarked 173-year-old Brooklyn church was busted Tuesday when an eagle-eyed cop spotted him shoplifting a turkey sandwich and donuts from a Midtown CVS, sources said. John Jones, 24, was hit with a federal arson rap after he was picked up trying to swipe a free meal with a Coke to wash it down in the store on Broadway at about 1:39 a.m., sources said.

FAITH FACTS Church of England attendance has remarkably risen for five consecutive years, reversing decades of decline Digital ministry through online theology classes, social media Bible studies, and café conversations is reaching believers beyond traditional Sunday services Britain’s spiritual renewal is manifesting in unmeasured ways that traditional church statistics cannot capture A surprisingly remarkable transformation is unfolding across Britain as the Church of England reports its fifth consecutive year of attendance growth. But the real story of spiritual renewal extends far beyond what can be counted in pews on Sunday mornings. For decades, declining church attendance in Britain seemed inevitable....

All churches that truly love Jesus serve coffee, but did you know that you can actually tell what denomination a church is by what coffee it serves? Here are 17 different forms of caffeinated goodness and what church you'll find them in: Dunkin' — Southern Baptist: Obviously. Medium roast — Non-denominational: Smooth and palatable. Grande Caramel Macchiato in a venti cup, upside down, with split milks, extra shots, and no top drizzle — some friggin' Acts 29 church: You know who they are. Boba tea — the Korean church that meets after your church: So many Hondas in the parking...

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, Religious Freedom 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] are closed to debate of any kind.

A historic church in Buffalo, New York, caught fire again this week, and it was determined to be the result of arson. St. Ann’s Catholic Church was built in 1886. It permanently closed down in August 2024 and was sold to an Islamic community for $250,000.

Community members gathered outside Pawleys Island Community Church Sunday morning, demanding accountability and justice following the arrest of a convicted sex offender who volunteered near children on campus. Protesters lined up outside the church holding signs calling for the protection of children and asking for answers and change. The South Carolina Probation, Parole and Pardon Services arrested 70-year-old Warren Perry Tuesday for violating probation. Perry is a convicted sex offender following a 2023 Sexual Exploitation of a Minor conviction for a crime committed in 2020. Perry volunteered at the church, which operates Pawleys Island Christian Academy on the same campus,...