Free Republic

Praise for and prose from St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor On this, the Memorial of St. Leo the Great (c. 400-461), a selection from Pope Benedict XVI's general audience of March 5, 2008:We are familiar with Pope Leo's action thanks to his most beautiful sermons - almost 100 in a splendid and clear Latin have been preserved - and thanks to his approximately 150 letters. In these texts the Pontiff appears in all his greatness, devoted to the service of truth in charity through an assiduous exercise of the Word which shows him to us as both Theologian...

In Federalist 2, John Jay looks out at a nation of a common blood, faith, language, history, customs and culture. "Providence," he writes, "has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people -- a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion ... very similar in their manners and customs ..." Are we still that "one united people" today? Or has America become what Klemens von Metternich called Italy: "a mere geographical expression"? In "Suicide of a Superpower," out this week, I argue that the America we grew up in...

“Hold on a second!” I interrupted. “Are you saying that to become a Christian somebody might have to give up everything he has?” “Well, what do you think the text means?” Gunner replied. . . . “After I had this encounter with the Lord about the Pearl and realized I didn’t care much about what God wanted from me, sure enough over the next few weeks God bgan to help me liquidate my assets. I prayed, “Okay, Lord, you can have my career,” and it was as though two giant hands came out of heaven and opened my fingers,...

SIERRA VISTA — On a clear and calm morning, a giant American flag, suspended from two extended fire engine ladders, fluttered in the breeze as those below gathered to remember that fateful day in 2001. With somber memories but a unity that binds all Americans, they gathered to pay homage to the men and women who lost their lives and continue to do so for the ideals that make this nation great. On Sept. 11, 2011, 10 years after the attacks that took nearly 3,000 lives, more than of 250 people gathered in Veterans’ Memorial Park for a short ceremony...

Liberals often tout themselves as the epitome of tolerance, which makes the production of a video game entitled “Tea Party Zombies Must Die,” by StarvingEyes Advergaming, all the more confusing. In the new game, players are encouraged to shoot such Tea Party favorites as Glenn Beck, Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, and many others, some of which do not exactly fit the criteria of the Tea Party movement but who appear in the game nonetheless. The Blaze reports: In a new online game created by liberals titled “Tea Party Zombies Must Die” players can live out your most vicious fantasy by...

Hamas co-founder Mahmoud Zahar hinted Tuesday there may be attempts on Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas should he visit Gaza. In an interview with the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi, Zahar added Abbas would not be visiting Gaza. Zahar stressed that Hamas was not interested in jeopardizing the internal security situation in the Gaza Strip should Abbas decide to visit and cause internal Fatah violence to occur as a result of "unsettled accounts." According to al-Quds al-Arabi, Zahar may have been referring to the ongoing conflict between the Palestinian Authority chairman and ex-Fatah official and strident Abbas critic Muhammad Dahlan. Recently, pointing...

There may have been no rioting in the Highlands, but no one has been watching the arson and looting of Britain’s cities more closely than the Queen. With fewer than six months to her Diamond Jubilee, when celebrations are planned for the length and breadth of the kingdom, the disorder has alarmed aides planning the extravaganza. Central to their concern is not just the damage to the country’s image overseas, but also how quickly the feelgood factor engendered by April’s Royal Wedding has been lost. From her summer home in Balmoral, the Queen has kept in touch with developments and...

The much touted unity agreement signed between rivals Fatah and Hamas has still failed to produce a unity government amdist fierce bickering. Since rival factions Fatah and Hamas announced a reconciliation after four years of often violent fueding following Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza in 2007, the promised coalition government remains unformed due to disputes over fundamental issues, including who will serve as prime minister. While leaders in both factions have tried to play down the lack of progress and missed deadlines, barbs are being traded daily in Palestinian Authority and Hamas-run media outlets. As a result, what both sides...

Open the doors of your sanctuary , Invite all that are willing to see , Each and every color of skin , Invite them all so then you truly may begin , To worship Me in Spirit and Truth , Invite them all both the old and the youth , The weary , the poor ,the forsaken and lost , Bring them in at any cost , For I shall cover all your needs , For My heart for My children bleeds and bleeds , For every church and steeple , temple and sanctuary , To come together "AS ONE"...

Stop and listen to the King , Just wait upon me and let your Lifesong sing , For I own your part in My Tapestry , But it is for Me to reveal and you to see , Every color each and every stroke , A painting " Alive " and as you receive it I then invoke ! My breath of virtue into your every day , So when you arise you come to me first and "say" , " What is it Oh Lord that you desire of me ? " , "Show me where I am the...

Erika H. on the CBS "Early Show" Instead of attacking each other they turn on Oabama First Republican national debate / race. Is that a bad thing? It's the typical liberal psychology to phrase a good thing as "bad."

The signing of the Hamas Fatah unity deal in Cairo is a setback for peace and an advancement for terror, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told reporters in London on Wednesday. “What happened today in Cairo is a tremendous blow to peace and a great victory for terrorism,” Netanyahu said. “Three days ago terrorism was dealt a resounding defeat with the elimination of Osama Bin Laden. Today in Cairo it had a victory,” said Netanyahu. He charged that in signing this deal, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had “embraced” an organization that had condemned American action against Bin Laden, who it...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is appealing to lawmakers to continue the spirit of national unity that followed Osama bin Laden's death. At a White House dinner Monday for congressional leaders, Obama said the nation is experiencing the same type of rallying together that occurred after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Some Republicans, including those who'd like to deny Obama a second term, praised the president for the military operation that ended with bin Laden's burial at sea.

Monday, April 18, 2011, from noon until 4pm, grassroot organizations from across the state will come together to "Reclaim America, United." Sponsors of this event are Citizens Reclaiming Constitutional Liberty PAC (CRCLPAC) and Tea Party United. This years event will not only focus on the United States' ever growing budget, but will show that the Tea Party Movement is United in order to claim Victory in 2012. Grassroot organizations from across Northern California are coming out to attend and share information with their fellow grassroots activists to be taken back and implemented in their own communities after the event is...

Abbas met with his rivals in the Hamas militant group over the weekend in an attempt to end nearly four years of infighting that has complicated the quest for a Palestinian state. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is making a heavy push for reconciliation with Hamas and is willing to give up hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. aid if that's what it takes to forge a Palestinian unity deal, his adviser said on Monday. Azzam Ahmed's remarks could indicate that Abbas would also give up on renewing stalled peace talks with Israel and prefers to pursue unity with Gaza's...

Lately, there seems to be a lot of conflict on the religion forum. Much of this has been between Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox. To show that we are all united as Christians and to reduce animosity, I hope we can all agree to one of 4 following statements: 1) I am Catholic. I love Orthodox and Protestant Christians. I consider Orthodox Christians and Protestants to definitely be Christian. All Christians need to work together to defeat our common enemies-- specifically Islam, liberal postmodernism, and totalitarian communism. 2) I am Protestant. I love Orthodox and Catholic Christians. I consider Orthodox Christians...

Dozens of lawmakers are getting a second dose of high school as they venture across the aisle and ask colleagues to sit with them for President Obama’s State of the Union address next week. <----> snip <----> The bipartisan gesture carries a serious tone for nearly all who have pledged to do away with the typical seating arrangement, which is not assigned but generally gets divided by party. But the humor of asking one of their fellow lawmakers to attend the event as their “date” has not escaped members.

Charlie Brown and Republicans By Chance Gibson As children, we all wondered why Charlie Brown always fell for Lucy’s football prank.

As children, we all wondered why Charlie Brown always fell for Lucy’s football prank. Time after time, she would assure him that she would not pull the football away. And, time after time, Charlie Brown would finally succumb, get up a head of steam, and at the last moment Lucy would snatch the ball away only to have Charlie Brown sail through the air and land with a THUMP. As children we wondered how, after being tricked 783 times, he could possibly fall for it again. Alas, Charlie wanted something so badly that history and common sense could not allow...

The big message in Hu Jintao's interview with the WSJ is that China is ready for the yuan to play a larger role in the global economy. But the interview just caps what was already a big week for the Chinese currency. For example, China said for the first time that it will low foreign investors to participate in yuan-denominated private equity vehicles.