Free Republic

"Muhammad Alarefe, a prominent Saudi religious leader, has demanded that FIFA, the international soccer governing body, instruct players to stop making the Christian sign of the cross." For many Christians, their deep, personal and peaceful faith is inextricable from every aspect of their life. Making the sign of the cross — or any other religious gesture — should not pose a problem or threat to anyone, but to the Islamic supremacist leader Muhammad Alarefe and his ilk, any religious expression outside of Islam represents a threat, especially since FIFA is so prestigious. Let’s hope FIFA honors the religious freedoms of...

Webmaster note: The following passage is from Saint John’s monumental work, the Fount of Knowledge, part two entitled Heresies in Epitome: How They Began and Whence They Drew Their Origin. It is usually just cited as Heresies. The translator’s introduction points out that Fount of Knowledge is one of the most “important single works produced in the Greek patristic period,…offering as it does an extensive and lucid synthesis of the Greek theological science of the whole period. It is the first great Summa of theology to appear in either the East or the West.” Saint John (+ 749) is considered...

02/08/2006 A Quick Comparison As I head out this morning for my flight to Heathrow I caught a segment on the Today show on NBC regarding The Da Vinci Code. I couldn't help but compare and contrast the response Christians have had to this deeply blasphemous attack upon the very heart of their faith and a dozen small cartoons featuring Mohammed and the response of Islam worldwide. We all know that The Da Vinci Code blasphemes the character of Christ, denies His deity, His resurrection, the inspiration and accuracy of the Bible, etc. So how have we responded? With violence?...

Paper: Italian Church Attack Plotted Sun Jun 23,10:21 AM ET ROME (AP) - Suspected Islamic militants were plotting an attack on a northern Italian church that has been the subject of protests by Muslims in the past, a newspaper reported Sunday. The Milan daily Corriere della Sera said the San Petronio basilica in Bologna was targeted apparently because it contains a 15th century fresco that depicts Islam's prophet Muhammad in Hell, being devoured by demons. Last year, a group of Italian Muslims appealed unsuccessfully to the Vatican ( news - web sites) to have the fresco by Giovanni da Modena...