Free Republic

A minister crossed the line of constitutionally protected free speech in a confrontation with a woman who had gone to a southern Wisconsin beach that allows nude sunbathing, a state appeals court ruled Tuesday. The 3rd District Court of Appeals upheld Ralph Ovadal's disorderly conduct conviction and $1,000 fine in the 2001 incident near the Mazomanie nude beach on the Wisconsin River. Ovadal, pastor of Christ the King Church in Monroe, has protested nudity at the beach since 1998 by handing out written Bible verses, holding placards and preaching. He and a small group of protesters were at a parking...

TONIGHT'S FOCUS: The first of a two-part series following three young men as they make their way towards the finals of the National Evangelistic Preaching competition. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'll be the first to admit that we don't do enough coverage of religion in this country. We pay a lot of attention to religion overseas, especially Islam. We cover the "religious right" in this country, but mostly, actually almost entirely, as a political force. But we haven't spent a lot of time looking at the evangelical community just as people. A new poll says that a little over thirty percent of adults...

THE TRUTH ABOUT ISLAM J. Grant Swank, Jr., POB 1984, Windham ME 04062 Pastor, New Hope Church, Windham ME Islam is being pictured today as a "religion of peace." Granted, religion can be complicated. Therefore, one must be careful when stating that Islam is not a religion of peace. But in fact it is not. Nevertheless, taking religion complications seriously, it is true that some Muslims believe that their religion is one of peace. Confused? You are not alone. So, backing up to the start, let's get some basics understood: Secular Muslims accept Islam as a religion of peace because...

UP WITH PREACHING The church is in grave danger of losing its pulpit. It will not be yanked away by the atheists. It will simply side off the sanctuary platform because of lack of proper use. What has been happening to the preached Word of late? It has been giving way to entertainment. Over-head projectors, singing groups, gospel film showings, drama, choreographed prayers, children's ditties, mimes and the like have clogged up too many worship hours. This has meant that there has been little time for a substantive message from the Word. Of course, the laity rarely complain because they...