Free Republic

Now what “interest group” would be interested in brainwashing your kids into believing that Jesus was a Palestinian? Although Jesus lived in a region known in his time as Palestine, the use of the term "Palestinian," with its modern connotations, is among the hundreds of textbook flaws cited in a recent five-year study of educational anti-Semitism detailed in the book "The Trouble with Textbooks: Distorting History and Religion." Authors Gary Tobin and Dennis Ybarra of the Institute for Jewish and Community Research found some 500 imperfections and distortions concerning religion in 28 of the most widely used social studies and...

A new study reveals that if Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wanted to criticize the nation of Israel before the United Nations, he could use American public school textbooks to do so. "It is shocking to find the kind of misinformation we discovered in American textbooks and supplemental materials being used by schools in every state in the country," said Dr. Gary Tobin, president of the Institute for Jewish & Community Research and a co-author of the study. "Elected officials at every level should investigate how these offensive passages are creeping into our textbooks. Presenting false information in the classroom undermines...

Most Christians celebrate Christmas as their Savior’s birthday. But the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Center in Jerusalem proposes a Baby Jesus who is fighting for a Palestinians state. Sabeel describes itself as “an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians” that is “inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ,” and whose “liberation theology seeks to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, promote unity among them, and lead them to social action.” Even among most Christians of the Left, “Liberation Theology” became mostly passé with the Cold War’s conclusion, and the collapse of most Third World Marxist “liberation” movements....

UK newspaper: Jesus was a Palestinian Anti-Israel article claims Christmas is celebration 'of birth pains of a Palestinian refugee in Bethlehem' Yaakov Lappin Published: 12.25.06, 21:23 An anti-Israel article , which appeared last week in a British newspaper, the Independent, claimed Christmas was a celebration of the "birth pains of a Palestinian refugee in Bethlehem" (Mary), before launching into an attack on Israel 's checkpoints in the West Bank. New Year Message Ahmadinejad: What would Jesus do today? / Yaakov Lappin Iranian president in New Year's message to Christians: 'God willing, Jesus will return with Imam Mahdi and wipe away...

Bethlehem's legacy Posted: December 25, 20031:00 a.m. Eastern © 2003 WorldNetDaily.com Bethlehem is a sacred city to both Jews and Christians. It is sacred to the Jews because its greatest King, David, was born there. It is sacred to Christians because Jesus, the Messiah, was born there, as was predicted some 700 years before: But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be numbered among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.– Micah 5:2, NASB Ironically, the real legacy...

God on His Terms, Not Ours By: Msgr. Charles PopeThere is a brief interaction between Jesus and certain unbelieving Jews on the Temple Mount which illustrates the rather common human tendency to demand that God be God on our terms, not His. Here is that dialogue:And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,“How long are you going to keep us in suspense?If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.The works I do in my Father’s...

Spain claimed most of North America by virtue of first discovery by Desoto and Coronado. Since the area had little gold, it was of little use to the Spanish empire, and thus was sparsely settled for centuries. Beginning in 1673, the French missionary priest Jacque Marquette and French explorer Louis Joliet, came down from Canada to Lake Michigan to the Fox River to the Mississippi, as far south as Arkansas. In 1699, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, started the first French settlement, at Fort Maurepas (now Ocean Springs, Mississippi). ... Napoleon continued: “Everything in Christ astonishes me. His spirit...

The King of Love My Shepherd Is – A Homily for the 4th Sunday of Easter By: Msgr. Charles PopeOn this fourth Sunday of Easter we turn a corner of sorts. Up until now we have been reading of the resurrection appearances themselves. Today we begin to see how the risen Lord ministers to us as the Good Shepherd. In effect, the Lord gives us four basic pictures or teachings of how, as the King of Love, He shepherds us. Here, then, are four portraits of His love:I. Passionate love – Jesus says, I am the Good Shepherd, a...

A lot of my ideas, like this one, are random thoughts that pop into my mind and then I just go with it and see how it ends up...

Archdiocese of Washington Becoming Witnesses of the Resurrection and the Truth of the Gospel. A homily for the third Sunday of Easter. By: Msgr. Charles PopeThe Gospel for this Sunday speaks to the necessity of becoming witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus. It begins with the necessary foundation of the proclamation of the Church: “The Lord is risen indeed, he has appeared to Simon!” This solemn declaration of the Church forms the doctrinal certitude of the resurrection. But on this foundation of the truth the personal witness of every Catholic must be built. In this gospel we see how the...

Strange but Rich Verses File: What Does Acts 1:4 Mean by Saying That Jesus Was “Eating Salt with Them”? By: Msgr. Charles PopeThere is an unusual verse that occurs in the first chapter of the Acts the Apostles, describing a gathering of Jesus and the Apostles after the resurrection but before the ascension. For the most part, modern translations do not reveal the full oddity of the verse. The verse in question, as rendered by the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition, is,And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4).However,...

A Short Meditation on the “Look” of Jesus By: Msgr. Charles PopeI have a large Icon of Christ in my room. What icons from the Eastern tradition do best is to capture “the Look.” No matter where I move in the room Christ is looking right at me. His look is intense, though not severe. In the Eastern spirituality Icons are windows into heaven. Hence this icon is no mere portrait that reminds one of Christ, it is an image which mediates his presence. When I look upon him, I experience that he knows me. It is a knowing...

Finding the Good in Good Friday By: Msgr. Charles PopeWhen I was younger, and through my seminary years, I had usually seen the crucifix and Jesus’ suffering on the Cross in somber tones. It was my sin that put Him there, had made Him suffer. The Cross was something that compelled a silent reverence and suggested to me that I meditate deeply on what Jesus had to go through. I would also think of Mary, John, and the other women beneath the Cross mournfully beholding Jesus as He was slowly and painfully dying. These were heavy and somber notes but...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE FIFTH ARTICLE: "He Descended into Hell." The death of Christ was the separation of His soul from His body as it is with other men. But the Divinity was so indissolubly conjoined to the Man Christ that although His soul and body were disunited, His Divinity was always most perfectly united to both the soul and body. This we have seen above. Therefore in the Sepulchre His body was together with the Son of God who together with His soul descended into hell.[1] REASONS FOR CHRIST'S DESCENT There are four reasons why...

Never believe rumors of Jesus’ death. He is alive and well — and coming soon to a theater near you. Sean Bean is one a-list actor listed for a movie about Jesus’ boyhood that will hit theaters in 2016. Hugh Jackman will star as St. Paul in another reported movie due out next year. Pope Francis recently blessed the actor playing Jesus in a new version of Ben Hur. Thus, in 2016, Hollywood will feature at least three movies that more or less affirm the basic Christian understanding of Jesus Christ. Ironically, these three movies will come 10 years...

"Stay with us, Sir. Night is falling.” It seems that each passing day is getting worse in America and Western Society in general, where night is now falling. Perversion of every kind now infiltrates the pop culture; the kind of perversion that is increasingly difficult to protect children against. Lies masquerade as truth. The dragon of worry and anxiety is keeping us awake nights and many are feeling so alone. At 9 o’clock EST tonight Canada Free Press (CFP) is starting an ongoing, every night ‘Nightly Prayer Vigil’ (NPV). Why 9 o’clock? What better time to call on the Almighty...

In all the daily conflict we see between progressive liberal activists, secular humanists, atheists, gay activists, and radical Muslims versus Christians—I am speaking to Christians—as followers of Christ, we must always be mindful of our marching orders, and from whom those marching orders come. Do not rejoice at our victories, and do not despair at our defeats.  The culture war isn't about you anyway. It’s about the souls of those who are perishing. Persecution in all forms will come to us as Christians.  Jesus said it would happen. Speaking to His disciples, Jesus said in John 16:32, “A time is...

NOTE: Christians around the world celebrated Good Friday and Easter last week, which commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus we began a six-part series on these events by Dr. Peter Kreeft in which he examines each of the plausible theories attempting to explain what happened to Jesus at the end of his life, particularly whether he rose from the dead.Part 1 - 5 Possible Theories that Explain the Resurrection of JesusPart 2 - Rejecting the Swoon Theory: 9 Reasons Why Jesus Did Not Faint on the Cross Part 3 - Debunking the Conspiracy Theory: 7 Arguments Why Jesus’ Disciples Did Not...

Psalm 112:1-4 Blessed is the Man that Feareth the Lord, and Delighteth Greatly in His Commandments. His Seed shall be Mighty upon Earth: the Generation of the Upright shall be Blessed. Riches and Treasures shall be in his House, and his Righteousness Endureth Forever. Unto the Upright Ariseth Light in Darkness: he is Merciful and Full of Compassion, and Righteous.