Free Republic

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - U. S. Senator Richard Lugar died Sunday morning, according to a release from the Lugar Center. Lugar was a senator from 1977 to 2013, before that serving as Mayor of Indianapolis from 1968 to 1975. After his career in politics, Lugar continued work through the Lugar Center, focused on global food security and aid effectiveness. He was a professor at Indiana University and led the Richard G. Lugar Symposium for Tomorrow’s Leaders at the University of Indianapolis. He held 46 honorary degrees from universities around the country, and Queen Elizabeth bestowed upon him the rank of...

10.10.2016 CONFIDENTIAL MEMO Comments: We are entering the final phase of the election and this is an all-hands-on-deck full-spectrum push for digital disruption and dominance. We are facing a decentralized leaderless emergent structure that can only be countered by our numbers with discipline and tactics. As such, these will be the scripts for Week 0 (through Week 3 to the vote). REDDIT Smart, but paranoid Reddit is an important clearinghouse for Trump-momentum and intellectual capital. We must maintain dominance on promotion/demotion of stories and isolation of Trump-positive threads. We are working to compromise moderators to improve our ability but will...

A significant portion of online support for Hillary Clinton is manufactured by paid “astroturf” trolls: a large team of supporters who spends long hours responding to negative news on the internet about her. The Clinton SuperPAC Correct the Record, which is affiliated with her campaign, acknowledged in an April press release that it was spending $1 million on project “Breaking Barriers” to pay people to respond to negative information about Clinton on social media sites like Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and Twitter. That amount has since increased to over $6 million. The trolls create a false impression that Clinton has more support than she...

The CLC’s complaint alleges Correct the Record has made $5.95 million in in-kind contributions in the form of coordinated expenditures that were accepted by the Clinton campaign. The complaint alleges such contributions violate the Federal Election Campaign Act (“FECA”), 52 U.S.C. § 30101, et seq., and Commission regulations. The Correct the Record super PAC was founded in 2015 by David Brock to act as a rapid response team in support of Hillary Clinton’s run for the presidency. Brock is a longtime Clinton supporter and founder of the left-wing media watchdog group Media Matters. To support the Clinton campaign, Correct the...

Snip..... In what could be the biggest State Department scandal since State Department official and United Nations founder Alger Hiss was exposed as a Soviet spy, a top Clinton State Department official and former Time magazine journalist has been identified as having been a trusted contact of the Russian intelligence service. Snip... The sensational charge against Strobe Talbott is made in a new book based on interviews with a Russian defector. Snip... Talbott has been and continues to be a major foreign policy thinker. Back in 2000, when he was named head of the Yale Center for the Study of...

Note: The following text is a quote: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=53214 Obama Nominates Defense Acquisition Undersecretary By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2009 – President Barack Obama announced yesterday that he will nominate Ashton Carter to be the next undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics. Carter is the chairman of the International and Global Affairs faculty at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He served as assistant secretary of defense for International Security Policy from 1993 to 1996. If confirmed to the post held by John Young since 2007, Carter would oversee a sweeping defense...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xVw6PsSinI People around the world now have a new way to learn about Joseph Smith, the founder and first president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A film called Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration is now available online, marking the first time the Church has shared a full-length film on the Internet.

Rush Limbaugh confirmed today the rumor that he and his wife Catherine have been meeting with Mormon missionaries for the past few months and are seriously considering committing to the Utah based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Limbaugh was quite forthcoming in how his fascination with Mormonism began. “Over the years there have been a number of things about the Mormons that have really caught my attention.” Limbaugh stated. “Mormons are the most conservative religious group in the United States, their support for President Bush, traditional marriage, the tea party, really earned them my respect.” Rush said....

Proof is in the eye of the beholder   Source: For Mormon Times21 March 2011 5:00am  Critics frequently claim that one reason they reject the Book of Mormon is because it is unsupported by archaeological evidence. Some have gone as far to claim that they would believe in the church if archaeology could “prove” that the Book of Mormon is true. The next several installments will deal with evidence, proof, faith and Book of Mormon archaeology.I should note two important points regarding the nature of evidence and the necessity of faith. First, I’m unconvinced that any critic would “convert” because of...

Catholic bishop addresses Mormon Institute students    ‘Our Shared History, Our Shared Values, and Our Shared Challenges’ By David HoefferlePublic Affairs Director, Southern Arizona Published: Monday, March 28, 2011   TUCSON, ARIZ. Calling it a “historic occasion,” Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson encouraged Latter-day Saints and Catholics to stand side-by-side in their joint responsibility to protect freedom of worship throughout the world. Bishop Kicanas, past vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and current chairman of the board of directors of Catholic Relief Services, presented a stirringly inspirational young adult fireside as the...

Seventy metal books found in cave in Jordan could change our view of Biblical history.....For scholars of faith and history, it is a treasure trove too precious for price. This ancient collection of 70 tiny books, their lead pages bound with wire, could unlock some of the secrets of the earliest days of Christianity. Academics are divided as to their authenticity but say that if verified, they could prove as pivotal as the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947. On pages not much bigger than a credit card, are images, symbols and words that appear to refer to...

Comparing LDS Beliefs with First-Century Christianity     By Daniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. RicksDaniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. Ricks, "Comparing LDS Beliefs with First-Century Christianity", Ensign, Mar. 1988, 7   Latter-day Saints reject the doctrines of the Trinity as taught by most Christian churches today. These creeds were canonized in the fourth and fifth centuries A.D. and do not reflect the thinking or beliefs of the New Testament church.   Since the inception of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, many critics have denied that it is Christian. Surprisingly, the basis for the claim has little to do with the...

What critics don't understand about testimony    Author: Michael R. AshSource: For Mormon Times28 March 2011 6:00am   In last week’s issue, I argued that secular evidences alone can never offer the power to convert anyone to the restored gospel. Undeniable secular evidences for Joseph Smith’s prophetic status would frustrate the necessity of agency and would still likely not change the hearts of those who adamantly reject the Prophet.Critics typically claim that Latter-day Saints rely on “feelings” in lieu of “evidence” — thereby implying that there is no rational thought that factors into their spiritual testimonies. This is unmitigated nonsense and contains...

The Surety of a Better Testament     By President James E. FaustSecond Counselor in the First PresidencyJames E. Faust, "The Surety of a Better Testament", Ensign, Sept. 2003, 2–6  The Apostle Paul was well acquainted with the adjustment in thinking needed when moving from the Old Testament to the New Testament. It is a journey from the rigid formality of the letter of the law taught by Moses to the spiritual guidance found in the Holy Spirit.In his epistle to the Hebrews, Paul described this adjustment: “For the law [of Moses] made nothing perfect, but [was only] the bringing in of...

Words of Jesus: Resurrection to Ascension     By Elder D. Lee ToblerOf the SeventyD. Lee Tobler, "Words of Jesus: Resurrection to Ascension", Ensign, Aug. 2003, 36–39   “Ye shall be witnesses unto me … unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).  As Jesus was taken from the cross and lovingly prepared for burial following the customs of the Jews, His disciples wanted to protect His body from intrusion or harm. They wrapped His body with fresh linen, and a great stone was rolled into place to seal the doorway of the tomb (see Matt. 27:57–60). Three days later Jesus emerged victorious...

Parables of Jesus: The Parable of the Talents     By Elder Ronald A. RasbandOf the SeventyRonald A. Rasband, "Parables of Jesus: The Parable of the Talents", Ensign, Aug. 2003, 32–35  What parent has not looked into the eyes of a newborn infant and wondered in amazement about the child’s future? What parent has not asked questions such as “What kind of life will my child have? For what purposes has this child come to earth now? What must I do as a parent to help this infant fulfill those purposes?”Every one of us has been blessed with many marvelous capabilities, and...

Commit Thy Way unto the Lord     By Elder Jerald L. TaylorOf the SeventyJerald L. Taylor, "Commit Thy Way unto the Lord", Ensign, July 2003, 54  How can we strengthen our commitment to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?   Some time ago I presided over a stake conference in Momostenango, Guatemala. Prior to the conference, I was surprised when stake president Francisco Rosales recommended that the Saturday meetings be held in the morning instead of in the afternoon, when these meetings are usually scheduled. When I asked the reason for the change, President Rosales said it was safer for the people to travel...

The Savior’s Visit to the Spirit World    By Elder Spencer J. CondieOf the SeventySpencer J. Condie, "The Savior’s Visit to the Spirit World", Ensign, July 2003, 32–36   What Jesus did during the hours between His death and Resurrection provides the doctrinal foundation for building temples.   “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). After Jesus spoke these words from the cross, His immortal spirit took leave of His physical body. His lifeless flesh was laid in a sepulchre, and a stone sealed its entrance.A brief time later, angels declared to a group of women gathered at His tomb, “He...

Parables of Jesus: The Unjust Steward      By Elder Tsung-Ting YangArea Authority SeventyTsung-Ting Yang, "Parables of Jesus: The Unjust Steward", Ensign, July 2003, 28–31   We must learn to follow the example of those who plan ahead to provide financially for themselves.  The parable of the unjust steward is about a business manager who manipulates his employer’s debts. I have wondered many times why the Savior ever gave it. Some people have even read it and wondered if He was justifying or excusing unethical behavior. It is a curious parable, but one that is also rich with truth, including teachings that show us...