Free Republic

The price of pork continues to surge across China because of supply shortages driven by the poor handling of African swine fever Chinese people are looking for alternatives, including dog and rabbit, as the country’s most popular meat becomes unaffordable African swine fever has swept through China’s pig population, leading to mass culls that are expected to take years to recover from. Photo: AFPAfrican swine fever has swept through China’s pig population, leading to mass culls that are expected to take years to recover from. Photo: AFP African swine fever has swept through China’s pig population, leading to mass culls...

For discussion purposes.... Pretend you own a bakery, or pizza place, et. The area in which you work is also one in which you live close by. You know your customers. You are a Christian. A young man and woman are living together in the apartment above yours. You see them a couple of times a week and even say hello. They come into your business and want to order a cake with the following inscription: TWO YEARS TOGETHER You know they're not married. Do you bake the cake? What say you Fellow Freepers

Complaints of double charges and frequent crashes from users of Apple’s new electronic payment system are marring the launch of the company’s newest service offering. The double-charge bug seemed to be affecting Bank of America customers using their Visa credit cards for Apple Pay. The system, which launched earlier this week, also seems to be befuddling cashiers who might have failed to stay up to date on Apple’s latest innovations. Since the transaction requires only that users hold their iPhones close to a near field communication (NFC) reader while pressing their thumb on the handset’s TouchID sensor, many clerks are...

Horus is just pathetic. The look of bathos on his little cat face…he is staring at me from in front of the Great Closet wherein is kept the Wondrous Bag of Kitty Delights. He had his paw under the door, trying to poke a hole in the bottom of the bag, I suspect, and perchance capture a morsel or two. Meanwhile, since the aforesaid closet is adjacent to Henry’s kennel (and Henry is in lock-down for barking and growling at Rocky, who ISN’T EVEN OUTSIDE ANYMORE), Henry feels constrained to alert me periodically to the feline perfidy going on right...

There are enormous differences between being a "husband" or a "wife" and being a "partner," a "friend" or a "significant other". I have always believed that there is no comparing living together with marriage. There are enormous differences between being a "husband" or a "wife" and being a "partner," a "friend" or a "significant other"; between a legal commitment and a voluntary association; between standing before family and community to publicly announce one's commitment to another person on the one hand and simply living together on the other. But attending the weddings of two of my three children this...

Many times born again believers find themselves accepting the ways of society instead of the ways of God. The temptation to do this is tricky and in many cases has become the norm. You can simply pick up a magazine or turn on the TV, and instantly, you are exposed to compromising lifestyles. We must remember, however, that just because an idea, concept or way of life seems acceptable doesn't mean it is right in God's eyes. Popular shows display people living "cheerfully" in a manner that opposes God and his word. A prime example of this is the cohabitation...

So I have been trying to rent an apartment in my home...and all I have answering the ads are boyfriends and girlfriends. No matter what social status, no matter what income level, I am seeing unmarried twenty, thirty and forty year old couples who want to live together. If I question them, they don't even understand why I am asking. These are Christians and Jews. I was so surprised to find that it would be so difficult to find a young married couple. Tell me Dear Freeper...am I totally out of the ballgame to expect to find a young married...

A Methodist minister who was defrocked for declaring that she is a lesbian living with her partner is taking her case to a church appeals court.     The Rev. Irene Stroud, of Philadelphia, was ousted Dec. 2 for violating the United Methodist Church's law against "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" in the clergy.     Ms. Stroud decided last week to appeal, but delayed the announcement until after Christmas weekend. Notice of appeal must be filed this week. [snip]She said one factor in her decision was something retired Bishop Joseph Yeakel, the judge who presided at her church trial, said to her after the...

<p>IN THE Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's dueling opinions on same-sex marriage, each side places the burden of proof on the other. The majority in the Goodridge decision insists there is "no rational reason" for defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The minority chides the majority for its "blind faith" that there are no potential dangers to so radical a change. Both sides lack evidence on the real-world effects of same-sex marriage. Yet evidence is in. Marriage is dying in Scandinavia, which has had marriage-like same-sex registered partnerships for over a decade.</p>

Communion and Church Teaching    GRACE MACKINNON Dear Grace, If you do not agree with some of the Church’s teachings, but you receive Communion on Sundays, are you sinning? First of all, let us be clear that “not agreeing with” and “not living according to” the Church’s teaching are two different matters. It is very possible that a person might not agree with a teaching and yet decide to live in obedience to it, believing that it comes from God. The Church knows well that sometimes we will struggle with a certain teaching, often due to a lack of understanding,...