Free Republic

Now that Free Republic is back up and running, I am curious about what Freepers like best and what they miss most when Free Republic becomes not available. For instance, for me, it's often the first place to learn of an event -- sometimes even a half hour before Fox News gets something on the air -- or CNN. I specifically remember the shooting at the school in Virginia, and then there are the earthquakes. Just curious about what other Freepers like most about FR. Husband Quint says that if everybody donated a monthly fee charge to their credit card,...

How would you define "Christian?" I've been giving this a lot of thought lately. It goes back a couple of weeks when someone made a comment that someone who's been in the news a lot lately was not a "Christian." I take an existential view of that because I believe that anyone who has had a Christian baptism is a Christian. Where I depart company from the pious and sanctimonious definitions of others is when their definition of Christian is really a definition of being "Christ-like." Oh, for sure, I would hope that Christians everywhere would behave in a Christ-like...

After having been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, I am encouraged to open this thread by others who would like to share information with others who have joined our sisterhood. There's so much to learn and so much to take in all at once. Lots of decisions to make, too. Please feel free to share your experiences and hope that we may save lives in the process, and lift each other up. -- Jane Reinheimer

I need help with saving a scanned document from an email to a Word document.

There was a time when the United States was a moral beacon on the hill, metaphorically speaking. And now look at us. We are killing our babies before they're even out of the womb. That has to stop. We need to return to honesty. Truth should guide each and every decision we make as we walk through our days. There is an accountability to our fellow man and, more importantly, to God above. Somewhere along the way, I think we have let the idea go by that God isn't watching what we do. Or that he doesn't care so much...

The fact that we have so many oversight committees in business and in congress says to me that there's a serious deficit of honest people around my tax dollars. And even with all those oversight committees, how come there's so much crookery that people still manage to get away with? Maybe, perhaps, do you suppose that the oversight committees have the same kind of camaraderie going on that they're supposed to be eliminating? Just asking. And then, the thought filled me with wonder about whether the DOW would have gone through the roof if there had been this adamancy about...

http://www.citizenlink.org/Stoplight/A000009104.cfm Interesting video that recaps where Obama is today in his change and hope Hypocrisy 101 course for the American people.

It's bad enough that the White House has surrounded itself with liars and tax cheats, but now comes word that the Associated Press is accusing Obama of a copyright violation. It's based on a copyrighted photo of Obama that was taken by Manny Garcia. Garcia was on assignment for AP when she took the photo. Then comes an artist named Shepard Fairey who recreated the likeness onto posters, campaign buttons and everything else Obama. No mention that the photograph was owned by the Associated Press, nor any credit for the photographer who shot the photo. So now, to tax cheats...

I was talking to a friend yesterday afternoon (yes, people can still have a private conversation after church) about the political situation here in Illinois; told her that there were more registered Republicans than Democrats in the state. "Then why do they keep winning all the elections? she asked. "Because not enough Republicans get up on election day with a burning desire to make a dash to the polls to vote." The late Richard J. Daley said probably the only thing I ever agreed with him: some reporter asked him why so and so hadn't gotten elected. "Simple," said Daley....

The domed ones on Capitol Hill have insisted that loosening up on those bans to drill offshore wouldn't make any difference for years and years and years. So how come the price of crude (futures) went down $10 the very day that Bush signed an executive order repealing the ban that his father had put in place when he was in the White House. Just imagine what the price of crude would fall to if congress did its part in repealing the ban that they put into place to appease the environmentalists! And further, I heard somewhere yesterday that the...

I have had it with the political rhetoric in this country -- of the promises from candidates who do not have the constitutional authority to deliver on what they are promising. Obama says he's going to meet with our enemies -- he actually believes, in his arrogance, that all he has to do is say "I'm coming over there," and Captain Marmalade in Iran will be glad to sit down with him, change the error of his ways and become just like people in the United States. Who does he think he's kidding?!! It's going to be just like Mr....

This final chapter of Hebrews brings many exhortations to the Jewish people. So what exactly is an exhortation? It's encouraging, challenging, comforting and guiding other people so that they can reach their full potential. Chuck Swindoll says it is the ability to bring encouragement, to help others see the relevance of Scripture, to give insightful counsel, to motivate, to comfort and to offer hope that prompts action. That's a big "to do list," don't you think? The Apostle Paul was always the teacher -- giving us lists of things to do and ways we can minister to others. So what...

It's important in this chapter to differentiate "punishment" and "discipline." Punishment makes sure that a certain behavior will not continue. Discipline makes sure that a behavior will continue. For instance, if we are speeding up and down the highways, eventually we'll get a speeding ticket -- as a punishment. Speeding tickets are punishments. They're a way of making sure speeders stop speeding. Discipline is a little trickier to define. Making a child sit down and do homework is discipline. Discipline breeds self-discipline and eventually the child develops good study skills that come up out of parental discipline. Discipline sets up...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.openbible.info%2Fgeo%2Fkmls%2Fheb.11.kml&t=k This link will let you see the trek of the Israelites from the time they left Egypt, where they crossed the Red Sea, and finally to the promised land. This chapter in Hebrews is known for its testaments of faith. In fact, it is often referred to as the "Hall of Faith." Faith is defined in verses 1-2: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what...

We are reminded again in this chapter, in verse 4b, that it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to redeem a person from sin. Then in verses 5-7, Christ addresses his father directly: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, "Here I am -- it is written about me in the scroll -- I have come to do your will, O God." These words are actually the same as David's in Psalm 40:6-8. The Hebrews are reminded...

This chapter of Hebrews will speak to all of you who feel like you are not forgiven for something or other that you've done in your life. Read it. And read it again. Copy the verses that are particularly meaningful to you -- those verses that bring you peace when their meanings flow like a river through your consciousness. This particular chapter is one of my favorites in the entire Bible. I hear God speaking to me especially through these verses. I feel Christ looking over my shoulder as I write about him. I feel the comfort of the Holy...

This part of the letter to the Hebrews is a reminder that the original covenant that God had made with the Israelites was not a perfect law. It was not perfect because it did not contain any method of redemption. It was a kind of "do this -- do that" list of expectations that God had of his children. On the other hand, when he sent his son Jesus to deliver a new covenant, he also included redemption. And through this redemption came the promise of salvation. This new covenant is stated in verses 8-12: But God found fault with...

In this chapter we read about Melchizedek again. In these opening verses of this chapter, there is some clarification, I think, as to whether Melchizedek is an allegorical incarnation of Christ. Aside from being the King of Salem (verse 2), and actually meeting Abraham (who gave him a tithe from the plunder that Abraham had gathered up when he beat the socks off the kings during that mighty war), Melchizedek, in verse 3, is described as: Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth...

This chapter contains another stern warning to the Hebrews. We find it in verses 4-6: It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God, and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. That's a stern warning, indeed. For if we reject Christ in our lives, we are...

What does it mean that Christ completely obeyed the Father for us? How can we, in turn, seek to obey the Father? This chapter introduces instructions about how high priests were to be picked out. In verse 1, we read: "Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins,...