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A Charismatic Response to “The Growing Crisis Behind Brazil’s Evangelical Success Story” Julio Severo addresses misconceptions and missed targets on article by Brazilian Presbyterian theologian By Julio Severo In his The Gospel Coalition blog, Brazilian Calvinist theologian Augustus Nicodemus Gomes Lopes said, “When Paulo Romeiro wrote ‘Evangelicals in Crisis’ in the mid-1990s, a book that has remained a bestseller among Brazilian evangelicals, he addressed just one of the many ways in which evangelicalism had collapsed in Brazil, namely, its inability to halt the spread of prosperity theology.” (Link: http://archive.is/hjNXb) He mentions “Prosperity Theology” three times. Strangely, Liberation Theology and its Protestant...

Phony Current Employment Statistics (CES)“How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.” ― Abraham Lincoln- By: Larry Walker, Jr. -According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), via its September 26th CES Preliminary Benchmark Announcement, the number of Private Sector Jobs reported in March 2013 was overstated by 136,000, and the number of Government jobs was understated by 12,000. But not to be outdone by a deteriorating economic reality, the BLS eliminated this bad news through a major change in its reporting...

Holy hell, that is a LOT of starships. This comparison chart, compiled by DeviantARTist Dirk Loechel, presents what he says is an accurate size-comparison between famous sci-fi starships. As far as I can tell it's got more or less every single sci-fi starship ever, from Star Wars to Warhammer to EVE Online to Halo and way, way beyond. In an update this month, Loechel added a ton more ships to what already must have been a huge collection.

Bill O'Reilly, in an interview with CBS, claims that the Holy Spirit inspired his book entitled 'Killing Jesus" even as he attempts to "correct the Gospels. When confronted with such an arrogant approach to God's Word, they responded in no uncertain terms: "They have not feared to lay hands upon the sacred Scriptures, saying that they have corrected them. Nor is it likely that they themselves are ignorant of how very bold their offense is. For either they do not believe that the sacred Scriptures were spoken by the Holy Spirit, in which case they are unbelievers, or if they...

Sandie Zimmerman, wife of Jewish Voice’s Messianic Rabbi Jack Zimmerman, shares fascinating revelations about the true time period of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) birth in this YouTube video. You will be surprised to learn it wasn’t December 25! By looking at the biblical account and the timing of the Jewish festivals, you will be astounded at the fulfillment of both prophecy and the historical elements that clearly point to Yeshua being born at the time of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths), not in December on Christmas.

Russia and China today both enjoy the same grand-strategic advantage against the United States that the United States enjoyed through the 44 years of the Cold War. The Soviet Union was then the superpower of the left, as the left had been globally understood since the French Revolution. It was the state committed to the promotion of revolutionary change across the world. The United States, by contrast, was the superpower of the right. It was committed to the maintenance of stability and continuity in government systems around the world. The United States won the Cold War. The craving for stability,...

We all have our memories, and thoughts, of 9/11. It's another anniversary, and yes, the 12th isn't somehow as memorable as the 10th, or the 15th. On 9/11, FR lost two wonderful people, Barbara K. Olson, and John Moran. While the date, and those events, fades into history, as do all seminal events, it's important that we never forget the people involved. Free Republic is many things... but above all it is a community of those who cherish and hold dear a set of core beliefs, values, and principles. And it is thus right and proper that we remember and...

When Edgar Falcon and Maricruz Valtierra exchanged vows last week, it wasn’t inside a church or at a fancy wedding venue. Instead, they had a border wedding on the Paso del Norte International Bridge, which connects the United States-Mexico border cities of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. The couple said they decided to get married there because that’s the closest Valtierra, a Mexico citizen, can get to the U.S. The 25-year-old is barred from entering the U.S. because she falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen by using someone else’s birth certificate when she tried to enter the...

If Gay Foreigners Can Sue U.S. Pastor Over Sermons, Who Is Safe? Judge wants gay claim of “crime against humanity” proceed against Bible preaching By Julio Severo WND has reported about the plight of Rev. Scott Lively, author of “The Pink Swastika,” under lawsuit from an African gay group because a homosexual leader in Uganda was murdered by his male lover allegedly after a sermon by Lively. This is right. You have read correctly: an African gay activist was murdered by his own male prostitute lover and an American minister is to blame. And incredibly, the US judge has...

The is–ought problem or is-ought gap, also called "Hume's Law" and "Hume's Guillotine" after the 18th-century Scottish philosopher David Hume who first fomulated it, simply states that from "is" we cannot logically deduce "ought", that is, from the knowledge of reality we cannot derive moral choices, from facts we cannot deduce values.Hume's Law is still undisputed today, and nobody has ever found a way to successfully challenge it.One of its major consequences is that from science we cannot deduce ethics.Science can only be used to put into practice desiderata that we have arrived at by other means, i.e. moral...

Dan from Squirrel Hill's Blog Here are 239 examples of Barack Obama’s lying, lawbreaking, corruption, cronyism, etc. In the 2008 United States election, I wrote in Ron Paul for President. In the 2012 election, I voted for Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson. Those who are of a more leftist persuasion than myself might want to consider voting for the Green Party in future elections. Some of the things on this list are major events that should scare the daylights out of any true liberal who cares about civil liberties.Other things on this list are medium things that some Obama supporters may...

Dan from Squirrel Hill's Blog Here are 239 examples of Barack Obama’s lying, lawbreaking, corruption, cronyism, etc. In the 2008 United States election, I wrote in Ron Paul for President. In the 2012 election, I voted for Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson. Those who are of a more leftist persuasion than myself might want to consider voting for the Green Party in future elections. Some of the things on this list are major events that should scare the daylights out of any true liberal who cares about civil liberties.Other things on this list are medium things that some Obama supporters may...

Eric Holder is a liar. Now, I could list a plethora of things that he has lied about. Things like whether or not the New Black Panthers intimidated voters during the 2008 elections. Or perhaps I should talk about the botched gun-running program Fast and Furious that resulted in the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and hundreds of Mexican citizens. Or maybe I can discuss his lies surrounding the cover-up of the Benghazi massacre. We could also talk about lying about the reality of the Fort Hood shootings with going along with the labeling of that terrorist attack...

The Imminent Abortion Legalization in Brazil: the Pope Has Spoken… That It Was Not Necessary to Speak! By Julio Severo The international media has been in frenzy about pope’s statements on homosexuality. Usually, when Christians speak about homosexual issues, the media do not forgive: the barrage of attacks is endless. I have been a victim of such attacks, and I have written many articles defending (Catholic and Protestant) Christians under such attacks. In the pope’s case, there were no attacks. Apparently, some of his words were misrepresented. But, overall, he was celebrated by the international press. I will not...

Archbishop Tutu: Rather Go to Hell Than Go to a Homophobic Heaven South Africa’s retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who is engaged in international anti-“homophobia” UN campaign, says he will never worship a “homophobic God” By Julio Severo The former Archbishop of Cape Town, who has been considered the moral conscience of South Africa, spoke last week at the launch of a UN-backed campaign in South Africa to promote gay rights. Desmond Tutu “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place,” Anglican Archbishop...

The Pope and Abortion in Brazil Brazilian president is about to enact pro-abortion law, and the pope does not know about it By Julio Severo A bill protecting victims of sexual violence was passed by stealth in the Brazilian Congress recently. There is no problem in laws protecting such victims. But pro-abortion groups praised it because it will effectively legalize abortion in Brazil. It will enforce another law that says that to get an abortion is enough for a woman to say that she was a victim of rape. There is no need of medical and legal evidence. Any...

On January 16th, 2013, at a press conference, President Obama announced that he would be taking 23 executive actions to reduce gun violence.  There had been much speculation on what the president might do with executive orders. Representative Stockman from Texas had warned the President about not infringing on the Second Amendment with executive orders. The President, in his remarks, talked about executive orders, executive actions, and closed his remarks by saying "Thank you. Let's sign these orders." This has lead to some confusion about what executive orders were signed.  Forbes  listed "The 23 Executive Orders On Gun Safety Signed...

R.C. Sproul: There Is No True Prophecy Today By Julio Severo According to Charisma magazine, Calvinist theologian Dr. R.C. Sproul says he was “deeply immersed” in charismatic circles in the 1960s and that after receiving about 50 false prophecies, he said to himself, “You know, I’m going to live my life by what it says in the Word, because I know the Spirit has superintended that.” So, with his bad experience with prophecy, Dr. Sproul concluded that there is no genuine gift of prophecy for today. By coincidence, his personal bad experience aligns itself with a strong theological view in...

I am writing a novel set in Russia and need some help with airplanes. Does anyone you know the make of any Russian plane that would regularly fly into the coldest regions? I flew into Enta (Komi Republic) one time and landed on skis. (rear loading, about 15-20 pax) It was surreal. And cool, I mean cold! :-) Thanks for any help.

A petition for a writ of certiorari has been filed with the Supreme Court.  This is the infamous Woolard v. Sheridan case, where the Maryland District Court found the Maryland "may issue" law to be unconstitutional because it required a person to provide "good reason" for exercising their Constitutional right to bear arms outside of the home, on March 3rd, 2012. The District Court decision was reversed at the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. It is now up to the Supreme Court to decide to hear the case or not.  The court might think that the time is ripe, given...

Hi, welcome to my vanity thread. I am having a problem downloading .pdf files on Firefox. If I click on a .pdf link all I get is a blank window in response. I am currently using Adobe Acrobat reader as my .pdf viewer, but Firefox seems to be oblivious to its existence. I have checked Firefox addons, and there seem to be hundreds of .pdf related addons, but I don't know which if any I should choose. Any advice on how to get Firefox to download/display/print/save .pdfs would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, you guys are the best.BTW: I have to...

About the recent Birmingham mosque stabbings of 4, including a policeman, the TV said that it is not considered as a hate crime. This simply means that the suspect, a man of Somali appearance, was not a non-Muslim, making him a Muslim (sounds a bit circumvoluted but this is what circumvoluted ways of thinking result in). But why? If you look at the way Muslims kill and massacre each other all over the world, especially those of rival sects, it looks like fellow Muslims are very much capable of hating a Muslim. On the other hand, a non-Muslim could very...

Note: Photos included. SNIPPET: The IRGC's point man in Peru, Edwar Quiroga "Hussein" Vargas is hard at work these days trying to breath life into not-so-large-or-widespread anti-government protests."

When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered. Dorothy Thompson

In Europe in particular, “human rights” have become dirty words. For that we have to thank supranational bodies like the European Court of Human Rights, that have given this concept a bad name through a never-ending proliferation of entitlements that often have very little to do with the concept’s original and true meaning. Parts of the European counterjihad have also started systematically attacking the idea of human rights. And there were some who did not sign the Brussels Declaration at the conference of July 2012 because they had problems with its human rights strategy. The phenomenon of so-called “judicial imperialism”,...

As Christ taught us on the cross: "Forgive them father for they not know what they are doing".

The end to animal experimentation seems to be nearer than we could previously imagine. In 2008 three US federal government agencies, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" with the aim of ending animal testing of drugs and chemicals for human use. The realization of this ambitious plan will take years, but it's a start of historic importance, especially considering that the three agencies involved have been among animal testing's biggest funding bodies.This momentous agreement followed a 2007 report released by the world's most prestigious...

Caveat Emptor- By: Larry Walker, II -Have you checked your homeowner’s insurance policy lately?I’ve been with the same insurer for over 10 years through two residences. Even with the previous company my homeowner’s rates stayed about the same from 1998 through 2007. During a recent review, I discovered that my basic coverage amounts (i.e. dwelling, private structures, personal property and loss of use) have been inflated by around 3.0% annually since 2007, or slightly higher than the general inflation rate, and although I sort of get that, albeit the cost to rebuild is now around 150 times current fair market...

“1984” Live! US Surveillance Scandal Is The Biggest Story Of Your Lifetime By Julio Severo “The (National Security Agency) NSA surveillance scandal is the biggest story of your lifetime” – that was, according WND, Michael Savage’s message all this week, as details emerged about the US government spying on Americans and people around the world. However, “They obviously weren’t spying on Muslims, or people known to have associated with terrorists,” Savage pointed out. Otherwise, the authorities would have prevented the Boston Marathon bombing. The White House assures that its massive surveillance is to stop terrorists, and yet it won’t...

Photo: Lance Cpl Greg Buckley, murdered by our Afghan "allies" The Obama Administration announced that it will meet with the Taliban in Doha for “peace talks.” The Taliban continue to orchestrate insider attacks, killing our soldiers. They continue to poison girls’ schools across Afghanistan, kidnap Red Cross workers, enforce the most brutal and extreme ideology on the face of the earth (the Sharia), and call for the defeat of American and coalition forces. These jihadists behead Afghan children, slaughter Afghans who dare to attend a party where dancing takes place, and mean to run Mullah Omar for President, despite the...

Solicitor General of Texas from 2003 - May 2008, Cruz was the first Hispanic Solicitor General in Texas, the youngest Solicitor General in the entire country, and had the longest tenure in Texas history.  Partner at the law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, where he led the firm’s U.S. Supreme Court and national appellate litigation practice.  Cruz has authored 80+ SCOTUS briefs and presented 40+ oral arguments before The Court Cruz served as a law clerk to Chief JusticeWilliam Rehnquist. Cruz was the first Hispanic ever to clerk for a Chief Justice of the United States Described as a 'superb' constitutional lawyer, the man's considerable skills and laser-like focus were on display for...

Palestinian evangelical in “propaganda tour” of Brazil Christian leader questions Open Doors's sponsorship of 'anti-Israel' message Michael Carl A Christian leader in Brazil says he’s alarmed by what he regards as a campaign by evangelicals to spread pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli propaganda. Julio Severo, a pro-family activist and blogger, told WND he’s concerned about a speaking tour in Brazil that features Bethlehem Bible College President Emeritus Bishara Awad in support of Open Doors, International. Severo told WND that at an event in Brazil, Awad spoke of “the Palestinian plight provoked by Israel.” “He did not mention anything about Muslim violence...

Vid at link

Si, buenas tardes?" Miriam Ceja chirped into the microphone at La Nueva Mix's studio in Glenwood Springs, Colo. It was 5 p.m., "prime drive time," on a Wednesday evening in late March. La Nueva Mix is primarily a music station, playing Norteño ballads and other Latin American tunes. But since its debut six years ago, program director Axel Contreras has also introduced talk shows on health, real estate and dealing with police encounters. By far the most popular, though, is Punto Legal, a weekly immigration law call-in. Ceja, an assistant at the law firm Hess and Schubert, is one of...

FReepers, want to know how you can prepare? Start rucking. But 101stAirborneVet, I was never in the military! What is "rucking"? Explained here, it is essentially walking quickly, over rough terrain, with a load on your back. But 101stAirborneVet, why in the world would I want to do that? How is that helping me to "prepare"? One of the basic tasks (if not the basic task) of a person who finds themselves in a combat situation is to move. That means getting from point A to point B, usually with supplies/ammo/weapons/correspondence/food/water, as quickly as possible. If you can’t get yourself...

Governor Palin tweeted an article over at Breitbart explaining that an audience member confronted Bill Maher for making fun of Trig Palin. Audience Member Confronts Bill Maher After Comic Slammed Sarah Palin's Special Needs Child shar.es/wLtXO via @breitbartnews— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) June 13, 2013 Hey bully, on behalf of all kids whom you hatefully mock in order to make yourself feel big, I hope one flattens your lily white wimpy a#*.— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) June 13, 2013 I'm in your neck of the woods this weekend, little Bill. Care to meet so I can tell you how I really feel?...

The government has sought to “reassure” us that it is only tracking “metadata” such as the time and place of the calls, and not the actual content of the calls. But technology experts say that “metadata” can be more revealing than the content of your actual phone calls. ... What [government officials] are trying to say is that disclosure of metadata—the details about phone calls, without the actual voice—isn’t a big deal, not something for Americans to get upset about if the government knows. Let’s take a closer look at what they are saying: They know you rang a phone...

We get it, Joe Citizen. You want your privacy. You want to be able to talk on the internet without everyone and their mother at the InsertAlphabetAgencyHere looking at it. You’re mad about the NSA snooping. You aren’t advocating a violent overthrow of the government. You’re not running a domestic terrorism group (well, there are those new DHS criteria…). You’re not even sending around emails about what a dismal failure President Obama’s administration is (THIS hour, anyway). You just want to be able to chat with friends, conduct your financial business, and argue with your spouse without Big Daddy Gummint...

We’re in for a helluva’ ride, America. Obama just named Susan Rice as his National Security Adviser and nominated Samantha Power to replace Rice as our U.N. ambassador. Samantha Power is married to Cass Sunstein, the very, very strange Obama pick for an early “czar” position who wowed us with his numerous bizarre claims including the wacko belief that animals should have the right to sue in court, that hunting should be banned as genocide, and that pet ownership is akin to “slavery.” But Mrs. Cass Sunstein’s character judgment in choosing her life partner is the least of America’s worries....

Eight major studies of identical twins in Australia, the U.S., and Scandinavia during the last two decades all arrive at the same conclusion: gays were not born that way. “At best genetics is a minor factor,” says Dr. Neil Whitehead, PhD. Whitehead worked for the New Zealand government as a scientific researcher for 24 years, then spent four years working for the United Nations and International Atomic Energy Agency. Most recently, he serves as a consultant to Japanese universities about the effects of radiation exposure. His PhD is in biochemistry and statistics. Identical twins have the same genes or DNA....

Live Presentation Tonight: The Return of Michael’s most shocking teaching is here. This is one of the most vital messages Michael has given in years and the information will have you on the edge of your seat. Buckle your seatbelts for a wild ride into the book of the Revelation and the end times

Welcome to the FReeper Recipe Thread. Looking for something new to make or made something new that came out great? Please share a 'tried-and-true' recipe or three- for fellow FReepers to add to their 'go-to' Recipe Stack of Family Favorites! Here's the place to share and explore your latest and greatest favorite recipe.

In an exceptional political signal, a senior Israeli official contacted Mark Landler of the New York Times and explained that the Israeli government was determined to continue to prevent the transfer of advanced weapons to Hizbullah. The official, who remained anonymous throughout the report, added that if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad reacts to this policy by attacking Israel – either directly or indirectly through a proxy force – he will “risk forfeiting his regime, for Israel will retaliate.”

Second Amendment Check is a great organization that enables you to support the right to bear arms with your wallet, rewarding companies who support the Second Amendment, and boycotting companies who don't. This organization deserves your support (click on the "Donate" button and email them a "thank you"). You should shop according to their evaluation of gun-friendly or gun-unfriendly businesses. Second Amendment Check "reach[es] out to companies via email and telephone" to determine which businesses support the constitutional right to bear arms. They rate those willing to participate. Note that Second Amendment Check states, "If we can't get in direct...

SNIPPET: "A genuinely inspiring issue of AQAP's flagship English language publication. This is what pages 1, 2, & 3 look like:" SNIPPET: "The remaining pages were rendered intentionally blank by person or persons unknown."

Liberation Theology and Neo-Pentecostalism: A Leading Challenge to the Evangelical Churches in Brazil By Julio Severo Traditionally, major theological trends — good or wicked — came from Europe and America. The single major theological trend originating outside Europe and America is Liberation Theology, which is prevalent in Latin America, especially Brazil. In this original and exclusive e-booklet, I trace this movement in Brazil and how its leaders recognized openly that the only force capable of challenging Liberation Theology was neo-Pentecostal churches. In fact, the Brazilian Left admits today that neo-Pentecostal churches are the only hindrance to the advance of its...

Gov. Sarah Palin waves to a crowd of 6,000 on her way to the podium to speak at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting in Houston, Texas. The National Rifle Association has been vilified by a slanted media. The law abiding, patriotic group has been painted as the bad guy on the heels of Sandy Hook and other acts of violence. Leftist politicians have lied about the NRA and they’ve exploited children every step of the way to create a false narrative. If any group needed a boost it is the NRA. Well, that boost came in a big...

Polls come and go, but consistently, when not using leading language, the American people....especially republicans......do NOT want the Cartel del Ocho AMNESTY! But that doesn't stop Marco Rubio's main mouthpiece, Grover Norquist. This traitor will stop at nothing!! How does any conservative still excuse Norquist? Now’s he’s working with gun grabber Mike Bloomberg. With Grover on the board of the NRA, how long before we see the 2nd Amendment sold out as well?? Keep in mind, this poll had a different outcome than ALL others! I’ve come to the conclusion Norquist, et al aren’t going after the ‘hispanic vote’ so...

Feinstein: Watertown Citizens Don’t Need Assault Weapons to Protect Themselves By Andrew Johnson April 21, 2013 1:09 PM Senator Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) stood by her push for an assault-weapons ban when Fox News Sunday’s Chris Wallace pressed her on whether Boston and Watertown residents may have preferred to arm and protect themselves on Friday while the suspect was at large. “If where you’re going is, do they need an assault weapon? I don’t think so,” she said.

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