Free Republic

A newly surfaced video that shows what many describe as abuse of a boy at Agape Boarding School in the late 1990s has renewed calls to close the school. In the footage, a man who former students say is Frank Burton — a long-time pastor at the Cedar County school — can be seen forcing a boy wearing a bathrobe to run alongside him around the perimeter of an outdoor volleyball court, which also served as the school’s boot camp area. It’s been common practice at the school to make boys wear robes if they were on suicide watch or...

As Earth Day approaches, US bishops call Catholics to do their partIn the days leading up to Earth Day, several U.S. bishops took to church pulpits and Zoom rooms to call Catholics to do their part in ushering in the societal changes needed to counter climate change and other ecological calamities — and not just on days like Earth Day.Three bishops over four days spoke out on the need for more than technology and policy to stunt rising global temperatures and slow destruction of ecosystems and species, saying there must be changes in lifestyles and even how living a good...

[Barf Alert] Vatican climate scientist says Church’s moral authority key to advancing global warming agenda Dr. Veerabhadran Ramanathan said he believes that the Catholic Church has a key role to play in leading a 'moral revolution' on climate change. Dr. Veerabhadran Ramanathan (second to Pope Francis's right). ROME, February 25, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis’s Global Education Pact is a golden opportunity to use the moral authority of the Catholic Church to institute “cradle to grave climate literacy” for children as young as pre-kindergarten, a prominent member of the Vatican’s Academy of Sciences has said.  Speaking at a Vatican...

Catholics urged to divulge ‘eco-sins’ during Confession as Bishops launch a new environmental campaign Journey to 2030, which was launched in the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, encourages parishes to be hubs for community projects, and offers ideas for activities under the headings: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.”   Credit: Toby Melville /REUTERS  Catholics are being urged to divulge their ‘eco-sins’ during Confession as Bishops launch a new environmental campaign.As part of an initiative to ensure that the Catholic Church plays a role in tackling the climate crisis, it is encouraging congregants to go to Confession, or “reconciliation services”. The lay-run campaign, called Journey to...

By supporting the UNFCCC, the United States can direct attention and resources towards adaptation measures that help all people, especially the poor, adapt to the effects of climate change globally.

The 25th Amendment is the ultimate constitutional "check" — a corrective mechanism for an American president who is physically or psychologically unable to lead. Most important, it grants legal authority to those closest to power — first, the vice president and Cabinet members, then members of Congress — to stage an intervention. At the very least, these individuals are authorized to call a temporary timeout if the president is judged unfit to govern. Is America today in need of such an unprecedented intervention? Pundits and politicians alike have called for the amendment’s implementation over the past few months. But it...

Minneapolis, MN – Raymond Dehn, candidate for Minneapolis mayor, is proposing police officers leave their guns in their cars, but says it’s okay for them to have nightsticks or pepper spray. Raymond Dehn, who is also a State Representative, is running against current mayor Betsy Hodges in this fall’s election, according to Fox9. He said, “Officers don’t need to carry guns on their person all the time…I’m not saying they don’t have access to that, just like they have access to more lethal weapons in their cars, I would believe they would still have access to their guns in their...

The theory: a cargo ship with a "dirty bomb" was just outside of Charleston, South Carolina. The notion came to life during a live YouTube broadcast Wednesday evening. During the broadcast, conspiracy theorist George Webb initially claimed a "source" had told him that there was "a dirty bomb planned for a major city." Based on the information from the "source," Webb said he believed Memphis might be the target. The Coast Guard said in a further statement provided to CNN that the source of the threat had been detained by authorities for further questioning. The statement did not mention Webb's...

Protests are breaking out in Oakland following Donald Trump winning the Presidential election. Many gathered on Telegraph Avenue and continue to march. (videos and photos at link)

Given their small numbers, occasional libertarian pandering to the “inside job” morons yields no theoretical benefit greater than a few additional comments on a YouTube video. Worse, they’ve actually made intelligent discussion more difficult. Questions about the government’s lack of readiness for 9/11, for example, now carry the unmistakable whiff of fringe kookiness. So do demands for basic government transparency, like calling for more of the 9/11 Commission report to be declassified. Mention this idea and some people will move away before you start ranting about the moon landing being fake. That’s too bad, because some accountability has been lost...

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura thinks he and presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders would make a good tag team Former Minnesota Governor and retired pro wrestler Jesse (The Body) Ventura is into Bernie Sanders. Ventura stirred up controversy last month by hinting he might be interested in serving as Donald Trump’s vice president, but the fiercely independent rabble rouser told Confidenti@l that a Sanders/Ventura ticket might be a better fit. “Would I run with Bernie? Sure, I’d give him consideration,” Ventura tells Confidenti@l, reasoning that Sanders, quickly gaining traction, is the candidate most likely to bring our troops back from the...

Why is it that both the Vatican and the Obama White House feel they can be so open and candid about their close collaboration? Is the Administration part of the Catholic Church or is the Church a mouthpiece for the Administration... or is Communism just a modern word for the Gospel, like Pope Francis says? Why do we keep hearing the same ugly messages wherever we look? In a bid to bolster the Obama administration's "moral" case for combating climate change, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency will meet senior Vatican officials Friday to enlist papal support for its...

Russian President Vladimir Putin has a concrete plan of invading Europe, taking it under his total rule. The covert plot was exposed by Germany's well-known newspaper, the BILD, citing credible sources from the intelligence community. Mr Putin's grand plan was reportedly outlined in a supposedly classified document titled "Putin: the new leader of international conservatism." The blueprint was drafted by Moscow's Centre for Strategic Communications...

This Wingnut Conspiracy Theory Has a Point This might be a good rule of thumb for presidential policy: if the factual truth of what you are doing is so gob-smackingly ridiculous that it makes whacko conspiracy theories about it sound reasonable, it's probably bad policy. Digby: I suppose it was inevitable: What do you get when you combine the president's ability to secretly kill American citizens and the recent push to restrict gun access? One of the most bizarre anti-Obama conspiracy theories ever—and it takes a lot to win that prize. Various tea party activists, libertarian websites and other conspiracy-minded...

No Meat on Mondays in Los Angeles By Susan Jones November 12, 2012 (CNSNews.com) - The Los Angeles City Council is urging all residents to observe "meatless Mondays" from now on. A resolution adopted on Oct. 24 reads: "Be it resolved, that the Council of the City of Los Angeles hereby declares all Mondays as 'Meatless Mondays' in support of comprehensive sustainability efforts as well as to further encourage residents to eat a more varied plant-based diet to protect their health and protect animals." Councilwoman Jan Perry, who introduced the resolution, also wants to ban new fast-food restaurants in South...

Thousands of President Obama supporters turned out in in Madison, Wisc., for a rally following Wednesday night’s debate in Denver. The mood was somber, to say the least, as they waited to enter Bascom Mall at the University of Wisconsin Thursday afternoon. University of Wisconsin students and fellow Wisconsinites had mixed reviews on the president's performance. I talked to supporters of the president who had watched the debate, asking how they thought the president did. One after the other said they were left unimpressed and “not inspired,” seemingly depressed and lethargic in their continuing support of the president. More than...

Religion is very good at telling you what to do and how to live. Your leisure time, if you so choose, can be completely absorbed in matters of ritual, practice and belief. Nobody stops you. I’m biased, but I believe the Jewish faith has a particular genius for this. There are morning prayers and evening prayers, complex dietary laws, 613 commandments direct from God covering every aspect of life, plus an ancient language to master, enormous books of commentary to study and debate. You do get to sleep, however. Don’t get me wrong; other faiths will keep you busy, too....

Glenn Beck said today that he has spoken to military experts about the mystery contrail from a few weeks ago and he says it’s definitely not a plane, but rather a two stage missile. He just wants to know where it came from, and he has a theory. Beck postulates that this missile was possibly from a Chinese sub off the coast of California, perhaps as a show of force to the world, but even more so to President Obama.

(This is NEWS - Please Keep This in Breaking News, Admin Moderators. It is not about "religion". It is about Current Events!) 1 Thessalonians 4: 13 - 18: But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord...

Majority of Republicans: Obama is a Muslim A new national Louis Harris poll finds that a majority of Republicans believe that President Obama is a Muslim, while 45 percent agree with the so-called "Birthers" that the president was "not born in the United States." The poll of 2,230 Americans, taken during last weekend's health care showdown in the House of Representatives, shows how successful Obama's opponents have been in demonizing the 44th president. Full results are expected tomorrow, but preliminary findings were released in The Daily Beast by John Avlon, whose book "Wingnuts" details the hyper-partisanship that has swept America...