MikeLigalig.com

Quote from: islander on January 13, 2012, 11:29:35 PM
obviously a joke.  consider the play of words... burqa=barka; rough=ruff (which also happens to be a name of a dog).  a joke, all right, and a tasteless one at that.  tsk, tsk, bow-wow-wow.

bwahahaha thanks for pointing the obvious, ms. isles.

The tattoos are very unattractive. She even has a "tramp stamp".

Quote from: chicogon on January 14, 2012, 08:15:00 AM
Pag sure oi... may torpedo pa yan, bwahahaha!!! 

lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSFY66bFoE0#

The Dichotomy Between Islam and Christianity

1. Christianity charges that Jesus Christ the Lord is the Begotten Son of God The Father, and through God The Son and God The Father, proceeds the Holy Spirit. The foundation of Christianity rests in the Trinity of God: God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Spirit , who proceeds from the Father and The Son.


2. Islam does not support the Trinity, on the contrary, rejects it. In the context of the Q'uran, Allah has no begotten son, and is not in need of a son. Islam denies the crucifixion of Christ on the Cross.

    اÙ,,Ù,,Ù‡ Ù,,Ù... ÙŠÙ,,د ÙˆÙ,,Ù... يوÙ,,د، ÙˆÙ,,ا هو انجب، وهناك Ù,,ا شيء ÙƒÙ...Ø«Ù,,Ù‡

     Ø³ÙˆØ±Ø© 112:3

English Translation: "Allah begets not, nor he is begotten, and there is none like unto him." (Refer to Sura 112:3)

---


ويÙ,ÙˆÙ,,ون ØŒ "إن اÙ,,رحÙ...Ù† Ù‡Ù,, Ù,,ديه ابنه! في اÙ,,واÙ,ع كنت Ù,د وضعت عÙ,,يها شيء أبشع! في Ø°Ù,,Ùƒ اجواء اÙ,,Ù...باراة هي عÙ,,Ù‰ وشك اÙ,,انفجار، واÙ,,أرض Ù,,تÙ,سيÙ... إربا، وجباÙ,, Ù,,تسÙ,Ø· في اÙ,,خراب اÙ,,Ù...Ø·Ù,,Ù, : هذا عزوا ابنا Ù,,اÙ,,رحÙ...Ù† Ù,,. Ù,,أنها Ù,,ا تتفÙ, Ù...ع عظÙ...Ø© اÙ,,رحÙ...Ù† عÙ,,Ù‰ أنه ينبغي أن انجب ابنا. يجب ان Ù,,ا احد Ù...Ù† اÙ,,بشر في اÙ,,سÙ...اوات واÙ,,أرض Ø¥Ù,,ا آتي اÙ,,رحÙ...Ù† Ø¥Ù,,Ù‰ أن كخادÙ...Ø©. انه Ù,,ا يأخذ في اÙ,,اعتبار Ù,,Ù‡Ù... [ÙƒÙ,,] ØŒ ÙˆÙ...رÙ,Ù...Ø© Ù,,Ù‡Ù... باÙ,,ضبط، واÙ,,جÙ...يع Ù...نهÙ... سوف يأتون اÙ,,يه Ù...نفردة في يوÙ... اÙ,,دينونة.

سورة 19 : 88

English Translation: "And they say, 'The Most Gracious Has need of a son!' Indeed you have put forth a thing most monstrous! At it the skies are bout to burst, the earth to split asunder, and the mountains to fall down in utter ruin: That they attributed a son to the Most Gracious. For it is not consonant with the majesty of the Most Gracious that He should beget a son. Not one of the beings in the heavens and the earth but must come to the Most Gracious as a servant. He does take an account of them , and numbered them exactly, and everyone of them will come to him singly on the day of judgment."

(Refer to Sura 19: 88)


---

This is a fundamental difference in theological teachings regarding the aspect of Divine Providence. We will discuss further differences as we go along.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only sonâ€"that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life

-John 3:16

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; and he who does not believe the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

-John 3:36

For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus: Who gave himself a redemption for all, a testimony in due times.

1 Timothy 2: 5-6

Labour as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No man, being a soldier to God, entangleth himself with secular businesses; that he may please him to whom he hath engaged himself.  For he also that striveth for the mastery, is not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

-2 Timothy 2: 3-5

by: Alex Grey

 

As if it isn’t bad enough that many Muslim women in the Middle East are
forced to wear burqas â€" now a new edict insists female dogs must wear
them, too.

“Muslim men got upset watching male dogs sniffing females and then
mounting them in public,” says Omar Jahal, a Muslim sociologist. “They
found it indecent. The dog burqas nip that in the bud.”

The canine burqas â€" called barkas â€" cover everything but the animal’s
eyes and ears.

Women in Muslim countries are required to wear burqas so that men don’t
become sexually aroused.

“In a society where even a woman’s ankle is enough to trigger an uproar
that she’s being suggestive, it’s not absurd to say that the sight of
dogs going at it the streets can have a similar effect,” says Jamal.

“Quite frankly, I think some of the men were jealous that their dogs
were having more fun than they were.”
Many moderate Muslims have protested the pet burqas. “It makes us look
ridiculous,” says Mohammed Qootip, a student, who owns a female collie.
“Also, it makes it difficult to recognize our dogs. And half the time
they end up soiling the burqa. It’s a mess.”

It may be “ruff” but for now, top imams say, the “barkas” are here to
stay.

http://sparkiearbuckle.sayanythingblog.com/2010/06/13/muslim-dogs-must-wear-barkas/

Hmmm..kahibalo diay mo tocar ning tambokikoyng iro!

Hubag and Bugsay's dogs reinacting their 'amo' the night before...nag karaoke daw sa Bojol Grill.....

I wonder who owns this dog...

Quote from: hubag bohol on November 29, 2011, 11:08:36 PM



Binuangon tag-iyaha...

hehehe, libat mang ang itoy. Murang naay siyay lateral deviation sa left eye (the dog's eye..in regards to anatomical position)....

Quote from: Lorenzo on January 13, 2012, 12:37:48 PM
The Literal Verse from Surah 9 That Denies Christ's Deity and Sonship of God The Father:

(my understanding of arabic is a bit rough, its been almost 5 years since i  wrote and read in arabic....)

دعوة اÙ,,يهود "عزير ابنا اÙ,,Ù,,Ù‡ ÙˆÙ,اÙ,,ت اÙ,,نصارى اÙ,,Ù...سيح ابن اÙ,,Ù,,Ù‡. هذا هو Ù,ÙˆÙ,, Ù...Ù† أفواههÙ...ØŒ (في Ø°Ù,,Ùƒ) ÙˆÙ,,كن كانوا ÙŠÙ,Ù,,دون Ù...ا اÙ,,كافرين
اÙ,,Ù,ديÙ... كان ÙŠÙ,ÙˆÙ,,. Ù,,عنة اÙ,,Ù,,Ù‡ عÙ,,Ù‰ أن يكون Ù,,Ù‡Ù... : كيف أنهÙ... خدعوا بعيدا عن اÙ,,Ø­Ù,ÙŠÙ,Ø© 

سورة 9 : 29-30

Waqalati alyahoodu AAuzayrun ibnu Allahiwaqalati alnnasara almaseehuibnu Allahi thalika qawluhum bi-afwahihim yudahi-oonaqawla allatheena kafaroo min qablu qatalahumu Allahuanna yu fakoona

This literally says....

the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!

The Literal Verse from Surah 9 That Denies Christ's Deity and Sonship of God The Father:

(my understanding of arabic is a bit rough, its been almost 5 years since i wrote and read in arabic....)

دعوة اÙ,,يهود "عزير ابنا اÙ,,Ù,,Ù‡ ÙˆÙ,اÙ,,ت اÙ,,نصارى اÙ,,Ù...سيح ابن اÙ,,Ù,,Ù‡. هذا هو Ù,ÙˆÙ,, Ù...Ù† أفواههÙ...ØŒ (في Ø°Ù,,Ùƒ) ÙˆÙ,,كن كانوا ÙŠÙ,Ù,,دون Ù...ا اÙ,,كافرين
اÙ,,Ù,ديÙ... كان ÙŠÙ,ÙˆÙ,,. Ù,,عنة اÙ,,Ù,,Ù‡ عÙ,,Ù‰ أن يكون Ù,,Ù‡Ù... : كيف أنهÙ... خدعوا بعيدا عن اÙ,,Ø­Ù,ÙŠÙ,Ø© 

سورة 9 : 29-30

Waqalati alyahoodu AAuzayrun ibnu Allahiwaqalati alnnasara almaseehuibnu Allahi thalika qawluhum bi-afwahihim yudahi-oonaqawla allatheena kafaroo min qablu qatalahumu Allahuanna yu fakoona

Quote from: Lorenzo on January 13, 2012, 12:17:17 PM
Clearly then, the Quran denies:

    1. The Trinity;
    2. The Sonship of Christ;
    3. The Deity of Christ.

THAT, is the Fundamental Difference between Christianity and Islam.

Clearly then, the Quran denies:

    1. The Trinity;
    2. The Sonship of Christ;
    3. The Deity of Christ.

Islam denies the Deity of Christ:



They do blaspheme who say: Allah is Christ the son of Mary
(Sura 5:72).


And when Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Didst thou say unto mankind: Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah? he saith: Be glorified! It was not mine to utter that to which I had no right
(Sura 5:116).


In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary
(Sura 5:17).

Quote from: Lorenzo on January 13, 2012, 12:13:16 PM
Islam denies the Father and the Son:


    The Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them.
      (Sura 9:29-30).


    It does not befit GOD that He begets a son, be He glorified.
          (Sura 19:35).

Muhammad, who wrote the Q'uran, is uttering that we, as Christians, are to be destroyed by 'allah' because we Dare to Say that Jesus Christ is Indeed the Only Begotten Son of God The Father.  And that we Dare to Say that He is the only way to Salvation on High....for there is no salvation but through Jesus Christ who Is Lord!

Islam denies the Father and the Son:


    The Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them.
      (Sura 9:29-30).


    It does not befit GOD that He begets a son, be He glorified.
          (Sura 19:35).

1. Islam vehemently rejects the doctrine of God as revealed in Holy Scriptures.

Islam denies the Trinity:

    Certainly they disbelieve those who say: Surely Allah is the third (person) of the three; and there is no god but the one God, and if they desist not from what they say, a painful chastisement shall befall those among them who disbelieve (Sura 5:73).

    O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not 'Three' - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son (Sura 4:171).

Jesus said unto him, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

Revelation 22:13

Quote from: chriswise on January 12, 2012, 06:59:35 PM
Kong nabasa ninyo ang sulat sa taga HEBREW naga ingon sa karaang panahon ang GINOO nakig storya sa mga tawo pinaagi sa mga propeta,og sa mga balaang tawo,Sa bag ong panahon ang GINOO nakig storya sa mga tawo pinaagi sa iyang anak.Human ni ana wala nay laing moabot,na sa ato walay nay laing uwahing propeta,sama ni mohammad propeta man kono kina uwahian,,sa ato deli gyud valid si mohammad,,,,,

Kong mabasa pod nimo sa katupasang sulat ni san PABLO naga ingon kong kinsa kono ang mag kuha og mag dugang sa mga sinulat maka angkon sa dakong silot sa GINOO...kong atong tan awon og basahon ang koran nag basi gyud sa mga DAANG testaminto unya gi insert si mohammad,,unya naa poy bag ong testamento naa gihapon si mohammad...

Unsaon man pagka hibalo sa mga mga muslim asay tinood na deli man gyud sila mosuway basa sa bibliya...walay kagawasan mag pile,,,,

Correct ka kaayo, Chris. There can not be any prophet after Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ is the LORD GOD MADE FLESH. The last prophet was St. John the Baptist, who paved the way for Jesus Christ, he was the "voice crying out in the wilderness" that would herald Messiah, Jesus Christ. May God Bless you and Empower you to continue to speak the Truth, Chris! Dako kaayo imong reward sa Langit....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnWwHthkGkY#

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p67IZrj312Y#

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5rqOICgRwA#ws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoqIgd4eCik#ws

Luoy pod intawn...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tFb9evsrC4#ws

Hospitals on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines are on alert for cases of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease spread by rodents, following tropical storm Washi.

According to local health care authorities, reports 314 cases and 8 deaths in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan in the archipelago. The Washi storm hit about a million people, and more than 1,250 died and 100 are still missing. In addition, 38 000 people have taken shelter in 54 evacuation centers in the area.

About 80% of reported cases of leptospirosis on the island of Mindanao were among males, median age of 26, who had been working in clean-up details and thus  exposed to polluted water. Residents who had not taken shelter in the evacuation centers were particularly vulnerable and cannot be given medication or treatment.

However, despite the outbreak, the levels of leptospirosis are still nowhere near those reported during Typhoon Ketsana in 2009, when there were more than 2 000 cases and 167 deaths reported deaths. According to the Emerging Health Threats for the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), the alarm remains high.

The accumulated mud is still a potential source of infection. It may contain bacteria from the carcasses of rodents or their feces and urine which remain in the soil. In addition, the clearing of some areas will remain difficult until the water service is resumed, seriously damaged, in the two cities. Currently only a few pipelines are partially functional. The health department has distributed rapid diagnosis kits to test early symptoms of the disease.

http://www.speroforum.com/a/MCJMZCBRVO20/66626-Philippines-Leptospirosis-outbreak-feared

Pope Benedict condemned a bomb blast outside a church in Egypt which killed at least 21 people, the latest in a series of attacks on Christians in the Middle East and Africa.

"This vile gesture of death, like that of putting bombs near to the houses of Christians in Iraq to force them to leave, offends God and all of humanity," the pope said after his weekly angelus blessing.

The car bomb explosion outside a Coptic Christian church in Alexandria on Saturday wounded dozens of people as worshippers gathered to mark the new year and Egypt's Interior Ministry said a foreign-backed suicide bomber might have been responsible.

It prompted Christians to protest on the streets, and some Christians and Muslims threw stones at each other. Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population of 79 million.

The pope urged Christian communities to persevere in a non-violent manner in the face of what he described as "a strategy of violence that has Christians as a target."

Two people were killed and at least 16 wounded in a series of bomb attacks on Thursday on the homes of minority Christians in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, security sources said.

Over Christmas, six people were killed in attacks on two Christian churches in northeastern Nigeria and six were wounded by a bomb in a Roman Catholic Church on the island of Jolo in the Philippines.

The Vatican fears that the attacks, combined with severe restrictions on Christians in countries such as Saudi Arabia, are fuelling a Christian exodus from the region.

In his New Year's homily, the pope said "words were not enough" to bring about peace, particularly in the Middle East.

He called for "concrete and constant commitment" from national leaders and said everyone on a local level should strive for peace in their relations with their neighbors.

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/55347/pope-benedict-condemns-church-attack-in-egypt

By Cindy Wooden on Monday, 9 January 2012



Benedict XVI has paid tribute to murdered Pakistani politician Shahbaz Bhatti


Pope Benedict XVI has condemned “religiously motivated terrorism” and restrictions on religious freedom during his annual address to diplomats accredited to the Vatican.

Looking at signs of promise and areas of concern around the globe, the Pope said human dignity, truth and justice demand that governments safeguard all human life and recognise the importance of the traditional family based on the marriage of a man and a woman.

But his strongest words were reserved for the topic of religious freedom and religiously motivated violence.

The Pope paid tribute to Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic and government minister for minorities in Pakistan, “whose untiring battle for the rights of minorities ended in his tragic death” when he was murdered last March.

“Sadly, we are not speaking of an isolated case,” the Pope told the diplomats gathered in a formal, frescoed hall of the Apostolic Palace.

“In many countries, Christians are deprived of fundamental rights and sidelined from public life; in other countries they endure violent attacks against their churches and homes,” he said, mentioning particularly the Christmas Day attacks against churches in Nigeria.

“In other parts of the world,” he said, “we see policies aimed at marginalising the role of religion in the life of society, as if it were a cause of intolerance rather than a valued contribution to education in respect for human dignity, justice and peace.”

“In the past year, religiously motivated terrorism has also reaped numerous victims, especially in Asia and in Africa,” he said.

Discussing the Arab Spring movements that toppled repressive governments in North Africa and spread to the Middle East, Pope Benedict said “it is hard to make a definitive assessment” of events, but “initial optimism has yielded to an acknowledgment of the difficulties of this moment of transition and change”.

With concerns expressed about creating new power elites or creating situations where Christian minorities could face more pressure, the only way forward towards true democracy and peace “is through the recognition of the inalienable dignity of each human person and of his or her fundamental rights”, the Pope said.

“Respect for the person must be at the centre of institutions and laws,” the Pope said in his address to representatives of the 179 countries that have full diplomatic relations with the Vatican.

Pope Benedict focused particularly on the needs and concerns of the world’s young people as he spoke to the ambassadors about the global economic crisis, the Arab Spring democracy movement, wars and social tensions.

“The present moment is sadly marked by a profound disquiet, and the various crises â€" economic, political and social â€" are a dramatic expression of this,” he said.

The Pope expressed his hopes for an end to bloodshed and tensions in South Sudan, Syria, the Holy Land, Iraq and the Great Lakes region of Africa, and urged the nations of the world to take seriously their obligation to protect the environment and fight climate change.

Saying he was looking particularly toward developed western nations, Pope Benedict urged governments to protect the most basic human right â€" the right to life.

“I am convinced that legislative measures which not only permit but at times even promote abortion for reasons of convenience or for questionable medical motives compromise the education of young people” in respect for life and hope for the future, which in turn compromises the future of humanity, he said.

Pope Benedict said education in knowledge and in values was crucial today and that “pride of place goes to the family, based on the marriage of a man and a woman.”

“This is not a simple social convention,” he said. The family is the basic structure of society and “policies which undermine the family threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself,” he said.

Turning his attention to the environment, the Pope said people cannot ignore the natural calamities and “ecological disasters like that of the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan” that marked 2011.

“Environmental protection and the connection between fighting poverty and fighting climate change are important areas for the promotion of integral human development,” he said. The Pope asked governments to demonstrate “a great sense of solidarity and responsibility toward present and future generations” as they prepare for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, which will be held on June 20 to 22 in Rio de Janeiro.

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2012/01/09/pope-condemns-persecution-of-christians/

1. Ron Paul

2. Rick Santorum

Quote from: hubag bohol on January 13, 2012, 09:47:44 AM

He represents the conservative views of a great many Americans !

Sta. Monica Roman Catholic Churh, Albur, Bohol

Beautiful pictures !

Balilihan looks like a very beautiful town!

Quote from: chriswise on January 12, 2012, 07:31:06 PM
para nako gyud,dako kong supak sa self govern sa mga muslim,,,masmaayo gyud na 100% unta controlado sa PILIPINAS nag tanang lugar sa Pinas...kay kong mahitabo gyud ang self govern nila mas delikado ang pinas ni ana,,kay di na unya ta makahibalo kong kinsay ni solod dihang lugara,,mao na sinugdanan mas magubot pang pilipinas,,,diha unya ang training ground nila..dakong supak gyud ang kinabag an ani,,ngano man diay nang mga muslim diha gidaog 2x ba diay sila,ngano man gyud ipamogos man ang pag self govern ana??Deli ko gusto pod na mapareha unya sa nahitabo sa sri lanka ang mga tamil rebels naka stablish gyud sila naa nay mga eroplano og mga tangke helicopter,,diba ang goberno sa sri lanka,naglisod gyud sa pag hurot nila,,,maayo gani kay na puhag gyud sila hurot gyud,,,,,,nan karon kong ingon ana pasagdan na sila mo self govern mas grabi pang gasto unya pohon inig abot sa panahon nga mag gira napod,,,sa akong pang lantaw,,wala gyud problema kong karo lang daan hotdon na sila kay kaaway mana sa goberno ngan man supply mana silakwarta be,,???labon man kaha mga pobre wala gyud hatagi sa goberno,,,kong ang goberno mangita temporaryong solosyon  karon,,di gyud sakto,,masmaayo na pang matagalang solosyon jd,,,hutdon maoy sakto labon gamay pa sila estimated 400 individuals only....

Good post, Chris. Ma hadlok pod ta if naa na ang Islamiya Jeramiyah elements dinha sa ARMM...

It is snowing here in Chicago. Goodness Gracious! I thought it wouldn't snow till February.

Quote from: islander on January 13, 2012, 03:24:58 AM


do share with us what else you've learned from your islamic studies some years back.

got to go...

I would gladly share, perhaps, later in another thread. Good Night, Isles. Sweet Dreams.

Pope Benedict XVI to diplomats: "The persecution of Christians must end"





In his traditional address to the Ambassadors, Benedict XVI gives an overview of the world's problems: from the economic crisis to Syria and to Nigeria and says, "Religious freedom is the first and foremost human right"

"In many countries, Christians are deprived of fundamental rights and relegated to the margins of public life; in others they suffer violent attacks against their churches and their homes." Pope Ratzinger stated this while receiving the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See in the Sala Regia for the traditional New Year greetings. Benedict XVI, like every year, presented an overview of the state of the world, pointing out problems and encouraging signs. Firstly, He welcomed the Ambassador of Malaysia, a country that was added in 2011, and addressed a thought to the newly born state of Southern Sudan, formed last July, calling for an end to "tensions and clashes."

ECONOMIC CRISIS

The Pope recalled the "serious and alarming" consequences of the global financial and economic crisis which "not only affects families and businesses in the economically more advanced countries where it originated, creating a situation in which many, especially young people, have felt confused and frustrated in their aspirations for a brighter future," but has "profound impact also on the lives of developing countries."  Benedict XVI invites us not to lose heart and to "resolutely redesign our journey with new forms of commitment. The crisis can and should be a stimulus to reflect on human existence and the importance of its ethical dimension, even before the mechanisms that govern economic life."  We must, he explained, "establish new rules that will assure that everyone has the opportunity to live with dignity and to develop their skills for the benefit of the entire community."

YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE ARAB SPRING

Ratzinger then spoke of the "effects of this time of uncertainty" that particularly affects young people. "Their malaise has originated the turmoil which in recent months has invested, at times heavily, the different regions. I am referring primarily to North Africa and the Middle East where young people who, among other things, suffer from poverty and the fear of unemployment and feel that there are no certain prospects, have launched what has become a vast movement that demands reforms and more active participation in political and social life."  According to Benedict XVI, it is still early to make an assessment, but it is clear that "the initial optimism" has "given way to recognition of the difficulties of this moment of transition and change, and it seems clear that the appropriate way to continue the path taken is by recognizing the inalienable dignity of every human being and their fundamental rights." Respect for the person, Ratzinger said, "must be the focal point of institutions and laws, it must lead to the end of all violence and prevent the risk that the dutiful attention to requests from citizens' and the social solidarity needed are transformed into simple tools for maintaining or regaining power." The Pope also urged the international community "to dialogue with the those involved with the processes underway, with respect for populations and aware that building a stable and reconciled society, far removed from all unjust discrimination, particularly in terms of religious diversity, is a horizon wider and farther away than that of the elections."


SYRIA, THE HOLY LAND AND IRAQ

Benedict XVI expressed "great concern" for those populations of countries where tensions and violence continue, "in particular Syria, where I hope for a speedy end to bloodshed and the beginning of a fruitful dialogue between politicians, favored by the presence of independent observers."  He then mentioned the pious Holy Land, "where tension between Palestinians and Israelis have repercussions on the stability of the entire Middle East."  It is necessary, he said, that "those responsible for these two populations make courageous and farsighted decisions in favor of peace."  The Pope mentioned his appreciation for the initiative taken by the Kingdom of Jordan for resuming dialogue: "I hope that it will continue in order to reach a lasting peace, guaranteeing the right of those two populations to live in safety in sovereign States inside secure and internationally recognized border." And in this case as well, has asked the international community to "stimulate their creativity and initiatives to promote this peace process, while respecting the rights of each party." The Pope then said to follow "with great attention the developments in Iraq, deploring the attacks that have, until recently, caused the loss of many lives, and I encourage its leaders to continue firmly on the road to a full national reconciliation."

EDUCATION AND FAMILY

Echoing the theme of World Day for Peace, Benedict XVI reiterated that education is "a crucial issue for every generation," reaffirming the need to preserve "educational places." "One of these is - he said â€" is first of all the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman. This is not just a social convention, but the basis for all societies. Therefore, policies that are detrimental to the family threaten human dignity and the very future of humanity."  The Pope has called for policies that enhance the family. And speaking of opening up to life he expressed his satisfaction with the recent decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which "prohibits the patenting of processes related to human embryonic stem cells, as well as the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, that condemns prenatal selection based on sex." Looking especially to the Western world, Ratzinger said he was convinced that "we oppose the education of young people and thereby legislative measures for the future of humanity that not only allow, but sometimes even promote, abortion for reasons of convenience or questionable medical reasons."

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND PERSECUTION

Speaking of education, Benedict XVI observed that “an effective education also solicits respect for religious freedom” which “is characterized by an individual dimension, as well as a collective dimension and an institutional dimension”. Religious freedom is “the first of human rights, because it expresses the most fundamental reality of the person”. A right that “too often, for various reasons, is still limited or mocked”. The Pope paid tribute to the memory of Pakistani Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, “whose tireless fight for the rights of minorities ended with a tragic death.” He added: “it is not, unfortunately, an isolated case. In many countries, Christians are deprived of fundamental rights and relegated to the margins of public life; in others they suffer violent attacks against their churches and their homes. Sometimes they are forced to abandon the country that they helped to build, because of continuing political tensions and policies that often relegate them a secondary spectators in the life of the country”. In other parts of the world, Ratzinger said, “there are policies bent on marginalizing the role of religion in social life, as though it were the cause for the intolerance, rather than an appreciable contribution to education in respect of human dignity, justice and peace.”  Benedict XVI called the legislative changes "encouraging" signals of religious freedom, “by which the public legal personality of religious minorities has been recognized in Georgia,” as well as the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights “in favor of the presence of crucifixes in Italian classrooms”. A sentence for which Italy worked extensively. And in saying this the Pope addressed a “special thought” for Italy, “at the end of the 150th  anniversary of its political unification.”

ENOUGH WITH TERRORISM

The Pope recalled how last year “religiously motivated terrorism” claimed many victims, “especially in Asia and Africa” ​​and reiterated that religious leaders should be “firmly and forcefully repeating that this is not the true nature of religion. Instead, it is the misrepresentation that contributes to its destruction. Religion cannot be used as an excuse to bypass the rules of justice and law.”

THE FORGOTTEN AFRICA

Benedict XVI recalled the recent visit to Benin, and the path of reconciliation between the various communities and ethnic groups. “It is sad to note”, he added, “that in various countries of that continent this goal is still far away.” Ratzinger said he was referring, "in particular to the upsurge of violence in Nigeria, as highlighted by the attacks against various churches over Christmas, the aftermath of civil war in Côte d'Ivoire, the continuing instability in the Great Lakes Region and the urgent humanitarian situation in the countries of the Horn of Africa.” And he asked, “once again, that the international community promptly help to find a solution to the crisis that has been going on for years now in Somalia.”

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Lastly, Benedict XVI returned to one of the recurring themes of his pontificate, emphasizing how education that is “properly understood, can only encourage respect for creation”. The Pope mentioned “the serious natural disasters in 2011 that hit several areas of Southeast Asia, and the environmental disasters such as the nuclear power plant in Fukushima in Japan”. Caring for the environment, “the synergy between the fight against poverty and climate change are - he added â€" important areas for promoting integral human development”. Ratzinger therefore hoped that “after the XVII session of the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change recently concluded in Durban, the international community must prepare for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (“Rio+20”) as an authentic “family of nations” and, therefore, with a great sense of solidarity and responsibility towards present and future generations”.


http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/the-vatican/detail/articolo/diplomazia-diplomacy-diplomacia-vaticano-vatican-papa-pope-el-papa-11490//pag/1/

By George J. Marlin      



A bloodstained image of Jesus (Church of Saints in Alexandria, Egypt)





The upheaval in the Middle East has turned that region into a war zone. Protesters in Bahrain, Libya, and Yemen have been shot, clubbed, and jailed. Public condemnation of the violence by the United States and European Union is certainly warranted, and no-fly zones and other sanctions may be necessary to prevent the mass slaughter of innocent people.

Protesters and freedom fighters, however, are not the only victims of violence in the Middle East. There has been a significant rise in Christian bloodshed. Unfortunately, the leaders of Western powers, with little exception, have ignored those crimes.

In his annual address to the Vatican diplomatic corps, Pope Benedict XVI pointed to the “acts of discrimination against Christians, which are considered less grave and less worthy of attention on the part of governments and public opinion.” The Holy Father renewed his “heartfelt appeal” to Muslim religious leaders “that their Christians fellow-citizens be able to live in security, continuing to contribute to the society in which they are fully members.” Egypt’s Al-Azhar University suspended talks with the Vatican because they found the pope’s references to Muslim violence “insulting.”

Among other duties, I serve as Chairman of Aid to the Church in Need, U.S.A., a charity directly under the Holy Father that supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed, or in need. I receive regular updates and status reports on the plight of Christians in the Middle East. Here’s a roundup of what happened this past year:

Afghanistan: The nation’s constitution designates Islam as the state religion and “no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam.” As a result, in May 2010 a group of Muslims were sentenced to death for converting to Christianity. Fortunately, they escaped and found asylum in India. In August, ten members of an eye-care team from the Christian International assistance mission were murdered in Afghanistan’s northern mountains. The Taliban claimed responsibility saying the volunteers were trying to convert Muslims to Christianity. Open Doors, an international Christian rights organization, rates Afghanistan as the world’s fourth worst country for Christian prosecution.

Egypt: In December 2010, Muslim extremists attacked an Orthodox Coptic Church in Upper Egypt during Christmas midnight Mass and murdered nine. On New Years Day, twenty mass goers died and seventy others were wounded when a car bomb exploded outside the Church of Saints in Alexandria. Egypt is the home to 20-million Christians â€" far more than any other country in the region. Orthodox, Catholics, and Protestants are persecuted for allegedly carrying out clandestine evangelization. Since it takes up to thirty years to receive permits to build a Christian church, the militant Imams have cracked down on Christians who gather in makeshift places of worship, claiming they are illegal.

Iran: While the population of Iran has grown since 1979 from 38 to 72 million, the Christian population has declined from 100,000 to 15,000. Christians have fled because they were constantly harassed by the government and falsely accused of being pro-Western. Because renouncing Islam is a crime of apostasy, there have been numerous arrests in Christian communities. In 2009, for instance, two women converts were arrested and charged with “acting against the security of the state” for distributing Bibles in their church. Thanks to international pressure they were released after eight months in jail, and allowed to leave the country. In January, about seventy Christians were arrested for attending services in “house churches.” In a November 2010 letter to President Ahmadinejad, Pope Benedict asked why Christian minorities live as dhimmis, second-class citizens.

Iraq: Since 2000, over 77 percent of Iraq’s 700,000 Christians have fled. In February 2008, the Catholic Archbishop of one of the world’s oldest Christian communities, Mosul (known in scripture as Nineveh), Paulos Faraj Rahho, was kidnapped and died in captivity two weeks later. His successor, Archbishop Amil Nona, believes that his diocese has suffered “some of the worst persecution to befall the Church in a generation.” On October 31, 2010, 58 people died and 70 were injured when an organization linked to al Qaeda attacked Baghdad’s Our Lady of Deliverance Syrian Catholic Cathedral during Sunday Mass. Among the dead were two young priests. Archbishop Louis Sako commented: “For us Christians of Iraq, martyrdom is the charism of our Church . . . .We are aware that bearing witness to Christ can mean martyrdom.”

Pakistan: Although the constitution of Pakistan states it is a secular country, violating blasphemy laws can be punishable by death. The Catholic Church’s Commission of Justice and Peace reported that since 1986 approximately 993 people have been charged with slandering Mohammed or desecrating the Qur’an. On March 2, 2011, the only Pakistani Christian cabinet member, Shahbaz Bhatti, was assassinated because he campaigned to reform the blasphemy laws. At his requiem in the Roman Catholic parish of Our Lady of Fatima, only one cabinet member had the courage to attend, Prime Minister Raza Gilani. Imagine if a U.S. cabinet member were murdered and only the president appeared at the funeral.

Saudi Arabia: Religious freedom is not protected under law and is severely restricted in practice. Public ceremonies or services by non-Islamic religions are banned. Saudi Arabia’s 1-million Christians are constantly harassed and police raid private religious gatherings and confiscate religious articles.

Yemen: There are only 8,000 Christians in this nation of 24 million. Yet in February, Yemen’s al Qaeda leader called on Muslims to wage jihad against them.
Despite all these crimes, there is hardly a peep from the Western powers. These victims would be completely forgotten if not for the Holy Father. In his January 1, 2011 World Peace Day message, he reminded the world that Middle East Christians “experience daily affronts and often live in fear because of their pursuit of truth, their faith in Christ Jesus and their heartfelt plea for respect for religious freedom. This situation is unacceptable since it represents an insult to God and to human dignity.”


George J. Marlin is an editor of The Quotable Fulton Sheen and the author of The American Catholic Voter.

© 2011 The Catholic Thing. All rights reserved. For reprint rights, write to: info@frinstitute.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Catholic Thing is a forum for intelligent Catholic commentary. Opinions expressed by writers are solely their own.



http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/the-forgotten-christians-persecuted-in-the-middle-east.html

Quote from: islander on January 13, 2012, 03:07:12 AM
would it harm your faith, lorenz, to try visiting these websites for balance's sake? 

goodnight!  (i need to hit the sack now.  it's the wee hours of the morning here.) 

I have read your posts , Isles, and I would like to thank you for adding the other view, however, I stand with what I have said, the sense of 'relativism' cannot be supported in the case of our Christian brothers and sisters who have been persecuted and killed by muslims and islamic policies.

By in large, generally speaking, many of the muslims living in western nations enjoy freedom of religion and rights accorded to them by national constitutions and bill of rights , however, the Christians living in predominantly-muslim nations are not afforded that right. In fact, are being persecuted and forced to hide their faith , or flee the said country or face extermination.





Yours In Christ,
Lorenzo

Muslim Genocide of Christians throughout Middle East



ICC Note:

Hudson New York reports that, “Christians in Arab countries are no longer being persecuted; they are now being slaughtered and driven out of their homes and lands.” The article highlights the persecution of Christians in Iraq, Egypt and the Palestinian territories.

By Khaled Abu Toameh

11/26/2010 Middle East (Hudson New York) â€" It is obvious by now that the Christians in the Middle East are an "endangered species."

Christians in Arab countries are no longer being persecuted; they are now being slaughtered and driven out of their homes and lands.

Those who for many years turned a blind eye to complaints about the persecution of Christians in the Middle East now owe the victims an apology. Now it is clear to all that these complaints were not "Jewish propaganda."

The war of genocide against Christians in the Middle East can no longer be treated as an "internal affair" of Iraq or Egypt or the Palestinians. What the West needs to understand is that radical Islam has declared jihad not only against Jews, but also against Christians.

In Iraq, Egypt and the Palestinian territories, Christians are being targeted almost on a daily basis by Muslim fundamentalists and secular dictators.

Dozens of Arab Christians in Iraq have been killed in recent months in what seems to be well-planned campaign to drive them out of the country. Many Christian families have already begun fleeing Iraq out of fear for their lives.

Some have chosen to start new lives in Jordan, while many others are expressing hope that they could be resettled in North America or Europe.

In Egypt, the plight of the Coptic Christian minority appears to be worsening. Just this week, the Egyptian security forces killed a Coptic Christian man and wounded scores of others who were protesting against the government's intention to demolish a Christian-owned structure.

Hardly a day passes without reports of violence against members of the Coptic Christian community in various parts of Egypt. Most of the attacks are carried out by Muslim fundamentalists.

…

Palestinian Christians have also been feeling the heat, although their conditions remain much better than those of their brothers and sisters in Iraq and Egypt.

Last week, the Western-funded Palestinian Authority in the West Bank arrested a Christian journalist who reported about differences between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and senior Fatah operative Mohammed Dahlan. The journalist, George Qanawati, manager of Radio Bethlehem 2000, was freed five days later.

In the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, the tiny Christian community is also living in fear following a spate of attacks by radical Islamic groups.



http://www.persecution.org/2010/12/11/muslim-genocide-of-christians-throughout-middle-east/

A source is a source, there will be an agenda which ever source you utilize. Either it be fox news, bbc, cnbc, jihadwatch, etc. The point is, the message is that there is a plethora of our Christian brothers and sisters that are living under dire situations in Muslim-dominated countries.

It is a shame that so many innocent Christians are being killed and persecuted so violently in these areas. May The Lord Jesus Christ protect them and support them in their times of trial....

Spencer: Santorum more realistic than Romney and Paul on jihad



In Human Events this morning, I discuss several of the candidates who will be facing off up in New Hampshire today:

After Rick Santorum​’s surprising show in Iowa, he may be the only candidate standing between Mitt Romney​ and the Republican nomination. But there is no contest between the two as to which demonstrates a more realistic understanding of the threat of jihad and Islamic supremacism. In that arena, Santorum wins hands down.
“Jihadism is evil and we need to say what it is,” Santorum said last March. “We need to define it and say what it is. And it is evil. Sharia law is incompatible with American jurisprudence and our Constitution.” He added correctly, and in sharp contrast to the prevailing view, that “Sharia law is not just a religious code. It is also a governmental code. It happens to be both religious in nature and origin, but it is a civil code. And it is incompatible with the civil code of the United States.”

Even though he made these remarks almost a year ago, as he rises in prominence, Santorum is going to get a lot of heat for this. The Islamic supremacist sympathizers in the mainstream media began calling to these remarks after the Iowa caucus, accusing Santorum of the phantom malady of “Islamophobia.”

One would hope that in response to these accusations Santorum would ask Leftist reporters (and Ron Paul, who recently accused him of “hating Muslims”) if they think that Sharia provisions such as the death penalty for apostates, stoning for adultery, amputation of the hand for theft, the denial of freedom of speech and institutionalized second-class status for women and non-Muslims are not evil.

If Santorum did that, it is likely that the media would then highlight some smooth Islamic supremacist deceiver who would claim that those things are not part of Sharia; however, there is not a single Muslim country that has ever implemented Sharia without implementing those measures, or one school of Islamic jurisprudence that does not teach such things. So Rick Santorum is on firm ground.

Mitt Romney, by contrast, is sinking into the quicksand of politically correct half-truths and untruths about Islam and jihad. Recently he claimed that violent Islamic jihadists “take a very different view of Islam than the Muslims I know.” He said that the Muslims he knew in Detroit were “peace-loving and America-loving individuals. I believe that very sincerely. I believe people of the Islamic faith do not have to subscribe to the idea of radical, violent jihadism.” Romney has even gone so far as to claim that “there is, however, a movement in the world known as jihadism” that is “by no means a branch of Islam. It is instead an entirely different entity. In no way do I suggest it is a part of Islam.”

This is tantamount to saying that the local post office is by no means a branch of the U.S. Postal Service, or that golf has nothing to do with the country-club left-leaning Republicanism that Romney represents....



http://www.jihadwatch.org/

Pakistani Christian editor receiving death threats for reporting on persecution of Christians



The uniformity of the language in Islamic supremacist hate mail is striking. It is so formulaic that one could all but program an automatic jihad-mail generator to do one's hating and kick back with a cup of tea. The language here is reminiscent of what we and others have received over the years. Did those guys call each other? Or could there possibly be some other reason they seem to "misunderstand" Islam with such striking uniformity?

"Christian editor receives death threats from Pakistan Islamists," by Ahmar Mustikhan for the Examiner, January 6:

A Pakistani Christian editor has said he receives hate mails and death threats on a daily basis from Pakistan for carrying reports on the persecution of Christians in the South Asian country.
Dr. Nazir S. Bhatti, editor of the Pakistan Christian Post who doubles as founder of Pakistan Christian Congress, Thursday received one such email in whch Aasia Bibi, who is languishing in jail for alleged blasphemy, and former Punjab governor Salman Taseer and minorities affairs minister Shahbaz Bhatti, who were assassinated last year for crusading to end the blasphemy law, were called harami or bastards.
A defiant Bhatti said Christians are sons of soil not descendants of Muslim invaders. Over the centuries, Muslim invaders massacred 80 million Hindus to convert India into Islam.
Bhatti posted the hate email on his Facebook page Thursday.
“I have read some of your media and it disturbs me very greatly that your media is responsible for sympathizing with the criminal, dirty harami woman Aasia Bibi, who insulted our beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him). .... Furthermore, your media has been portraying such haramis like Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti as "shaheeds" (martyrs), they are both haramis and jahannamis (destined for hell) and gustakh e Rasool (blasphemer of prophet).”
The writer told Bhatti, "I would like to remind you of one very important fact. Pakistan is an Islamic nation. It is a nation for Muslims, by Muslims, of Muslims."
Pakistan like neighboring Iran and Saudi Arabia is officially an Islamic republic where only a Muslim can become the head of state or government.
"Now you people are not Muslims, and you are not Pakistanis, but you are only guests who happen to live in Pakistan. Truth be told, we do not like you people, and would rather you leave our beautiful country. You can go to Europe or America, but we do not like you to live in Pakistan, the land which is Paak (pure)..
"All of Pakistan is behind Hazrat Ghazi e Millat, Mumtaz Hussain Qadri.... we will make life for you in Pakistan a living hell, I swear to God so don’t forget it.”
In fact, many in the West were stunned as lawyers in Rawalpindi, headquarters of the Pakistan military, garlanded the alleged Qadri and took out rallies in his favor.
After killing Governor Taseer, militants abducted his young son Shahbaz Taseer as a way to protect his killer Qadri.


Christains are routinely killed, forcibly converted and raped in Pakistan, but the culprits are never brought to justice.




http://www.jihadwatch.org/

Muslim U.S. soldier converted to Islam on Internet, traveled to Kenya with Qur'an and Islamic texts to join jihad terror group



How did he come to misunderstand the Qur'an's beautiful message of peace and depiction of jihad as an interior spiritual struggle? Why does this happen so often to devout readers of the Qur'an? There are two questions we can be sure that investigators will not care or dare to look into.

More on this story. "Craig Baxam, ex-U.S. soldier, charged with trying to aid terror group al-Shabab," by Matt Zapotosky for the Washington Post, January 9 (thanks to all who sent this in):

...In an interview with FBI agents outlined in the complaint, Baxam admitted a willingness to commit violence, though mostly in defending al-Shabab’s Somali territories from potential invaders. He told the agents that he was specifically seeking al-Shabab â€" not al-Qaeda â€" and that he felt offensive jihad was questionable.
Of course. There can be no offensive jihad without a caliph, according to traditional Islamic theology. That's why modern-day jihadists cast their jihads as defensive, as defensive jihad is always permitted -- indeed, required, if a Muslim land is attacked.

Still, Baxam acknowledged that al-Shabab was sometimes responsible for suicide bombings, according to the complaint, and he said he was “looking for dying with a gun in my hand” and would be happy to die defending Islam. He also said al-Shabab’s practice of beating people seen on the street during what is supposed to be prayer time was “awesome.”
Why Baxam became fascinated with al-Shabab and radical Islam remains unclear. A 2005 graduate of Laurel High School who was born in Takoma Park, Baxam joined the U.S. Army in 2007 and completed advanced training in cryptology and intelligence, according to the criminal complaint. He served in Baghdad, then reenlisted for a year-long stint in South Korea.

Baxam left the Army in July â€" a month before his term was over and about a week after he had “secretly” converted to Islam, according to the complaint. Baxam told agents that he discovered Islam while he was browsing the Internet and had no previous religious affiliation. An online article he read about the Islamic day of judgment “spoke to” him, authorities wrote in the complaint, and he read more.

Baxam’s plan to reach al-Shabab, though, was something less than ironclad. He set out with only a Koran and some other religious texts, a prayer mat, towel and razors, according to the complaint. He carried about $700 in cash and planned to donate it to al-Shabab.

After making his way to Mombasa, then Malindi, Baxam told a taxi driver to take him “as far north as possible” in Kenya, according to the complaint. Dropped off in a city whose name he could not recall, he tried to take a bus to the northern city of Garissa, according to the complaint. He was arrested on that bus by Kenyan police, who suspected that he was trying to travel to Somalia, according to the complaint....

Baxam told FBI agents that after his military service he worked for a television services company in Maryland but spent much of his time reading and praying, according to the complaint. He soon decided that he needed to move somewhere governed by sharia law, according to the complaint, so he set off for Somalia....


http://www.jihadwatch.org/

Threatening Shadows Over Egypt
By Robert S. Wistrich

The Muslim Brotherhood did not initiate the current upheavals in the Middle East, but the Islamist parties in Egypt, as in Tunisia and Libya, have been the chief beneficiaries of the collapse of long-standing authoritarian repressive regimes across North Africa. In Egypt itself, the two largest Islamist groups (the Brotherhood and the Salafists) won about three quarters of the ballots in the second round of legislative elections held in December 2011, while the secular and the liberal forces took a battering. The Brotherhood (which garnered over 40% of the votes) is an organization founded by an Egyptian schoolteacher, Hassan el Banna, back in 1928. It has never deviated from its founder’s central axiom:

“Allah is our objective; the Prophet is our leader; the Koran is our law; Jihad is our way; dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.”

It is this radical vision which animates all those in the region who seek a fully Islamic society and way of life.

The Muslim Brotherhood has always been deeply anti-Western, viscerally hostile to Israel and openly anti-Semitic â€" points usually downplayed in Western commentary on the “Arab Spring.” Indeed, the anti-Jewish conspiracy theories promoted by the Brotherhood and its affiliated preachers are in a class of their own. This is especially true of Egyptian-born Yusuf al-Qaradawi, undoubtedly the most celebrated Muslim Brotherhood cleric in the world. The still vigorous 84-year-old, often misleadingly depicted in the West as a “moderate,” flew in from Qatar to Cairo’s Tahrir Square on February 18, 2011 to lead a million-strong crowd in Friday prayers, thereby ending 50 years of exile from his native land. He called for pluralistic democracy in Egypt while at the same time offering the hope “that Almighty Allah will also please me with the conquest of the al-Aqsa Mosque [in Jerusalem].”

Two years earlier, in a notorious commentary on Al-Jazeera TV (January 28, 2009), the “moderate” Qaradawi had provided religious justification for both past and future Holocausts:

Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the Jews people who would punish them for their corruption…The last punishment was carried out by [Adolf] Hitler. By means of all the things he did to them â€" even though they exaggerated this issue â€" he managed to put them in their place. This was divine punishment for them…Allah willing, the next time will be at the hands of the believers.
In other words, the loathing of Jews, the Holocaust and the destruction of Israel by Muslims were linked by Qaradawi as things mandated by God himself.

Regarding Israel and the Jews, fundamentalist Muslim attitudes have never deviated since the 1940s. Islamist ideologues, despite their virulent anti-Westernism, have had no problem in drawing on Western sources for their radical anti- Semitism â€" whether these libels come from Protocols of the Elders of Zion forgery, Henry Ford’s The International Jew, Hitler’s Mein Kampf, fantasies about Judeo-Masonic plots, or have their origin in Christian anti-Talmudism, medieval blood-libels and the slanders of contemporary or Holocaust deniers in America and Europe.

The current swelling of Islamist ranks within Egypt and across the Arab world has hardly improved matters. At a vocal Muslim Brotherhood rally in Cairo’s most prominent mosque on November 25, 2011, Islamic activists ominously chanted “Tel Aviv, judgment day has come,” vowing to “one day kill all Jews.” The rally, which sought to promote the “battle against Jerusalem’s judaization,” was peppered with hate-filled speeches about the “treacherous Jews.” There were explicit calls for Jihad and liberating all of Palestine as well as references to a well-known hadith concerning the future Muslim annihilation of the Jews. Dr. Ahmed al-Tayeb, the head of Egypt’s Al-Azhar University (the most senior clerical authority in Sunni Islam) even claimed that Jews throughout the world were seeking to prevent Egyptian and Islamic unity, as well as trying to “Judaize al-Quds [Jerusalem].”

This kind of incitement and the pressure from the Egyptian street does not mean that the fragile peace treaty with Israel will be cancelled overnight. But calls for such a step have been repeatedly heard in recent months even from the “liberal” and more “progressive” sectors of the political spectrum as well as from the Islamist parties.

Dr. Rashad Bayoumi, the deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, bluntly told the Arabic daily al-Hayat on the first day of 2012 that his organization will never “recognize Israel at all”, whatever the circumstances. Israel, he emphasized, was a “criminal enemy” with whom Egypt should never have signed a peace treaty in the first place. If this treaty is not to be abrogated, much will depend on the United States making clear to Egypt how dire the economic and political consequences for its well-being would be.

It is particularly chilling to note that the Islamic wave already dominates not only in Iran, which is on the verge of nuclear weapons, but also in Turkey, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, the Gaza strip under Hamas and the Lebanese state, currently in the iron grip of Hezbollah. Apart from seeking to impose Shariah law, and to further downgrade the status of women â€" while repressing Copts and other non Muslim minorities â€" the neo-Islamist movements and regimes remain as determined as ever to wipe out Israel and to radically reduce American influence in the region. Needless to say, like the Brotherhood itself, Islamists consider themselves to be the sole authentic interpreters of the Divine will.

In the face of this mounting fundamentalist danger, Israel has no choice but to consolidate its deterrent capacity, close ranks and treat with the upmost skepticism any siren voices calling on it to take unreasonable “risks for peace." At the same time it will have to develop a new regional strategy that takes into account the seismic changes currently shaking the Middle East.

Prof. Robert S. Wistrich is the director of the Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism (SICSA) at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and author of A Lethal Obsession: Antisemitism from Antiquity to the Global Jihad (Random House, 2010).

APOSTASY, BLASPHEMY, and PROSELYTISM


Algeria: In May, a Muslim convert to Christianity was sentenced to a five-year prison term on charges of “insulting Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, and with ‘proselytism’ for giving a Muslim a CD about Christianity.” Now the judge has decided “to indefinitely postpone” the man’s appeal, thus “show[ing how] the judicial system keeps Christians in limbo without officially punishing or acquitting them.”


Kashmir: The top Islamic clergyman launched a website against apostasy and the conversion of Muslims to Christianity.  The website works to “check the conversion of young [Muslim] boys and girls [to Christianity]”; its “fundamental goal” is to “thwart catastrophic [Christian] missionary activities.”


Iran: Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, who caught the attention of the world after being imprisoned and awaiting execution for leaving Islam, may have to wait another year for a ruling on whether the sentence will be upheld, as authorities continue to delay, in the hopes that the world will forget.  Meanwhile, authorities continue “to pressure Nadarkhani to recant his faith,” giving him and ordering him to read “Islamic literature aimed at discrediting the Bible. The court reportedly has been told to use whatever means necessary to compel Nadarkhani to recant his faith.”  Another convert to Christianity recently told of his experiences: “When my family and friends learned of my decision, they didn’t accept it and rejected me as a result. They made me leave our family home. In addition, my friends treated me like my family had and began calling me an apostate and an infidel. In Iran, anyone who converts to Christianity faces various problems. In spite of the love I had for my family, I had to leave my home. Everyone rejected me.”

Malaysia:  Lamenting that “It could be hundreds, maybe even thousands” of Muslims converting to Christianity, a former state-commissioner has been “collecting data” to “persuade” the apostates to return to Islam: “We are helping them, hoping they will come back to Islam.” Likewise, the Sultan of Selangor, a Malaysian state, has ordered top-level Islamic organizations to take strategic steps against proselytism, “so that Muslims who have began distancing themselves from Islam will return to the fold and repent.”

Pakistan:  After a Muslim family discovered their son had converted to Christianity, not only did “his father put up a notice in local newspapers disowning him,” but his family “file[d] a police complaint against him becauseâ€"as a murtad or apostate deserving deathâ€"he was said to have committed “blasphemy.” Likewise, after a rent-related quarrel, a Muslim landlord accused his Christian tenant of desecrating the Quran, which led to crowds of Muslims surrounding the Christian’s house, making threats and hurling anti-Christian slogans; “Muslim leaders made announcements from several mosques calling for severe punishment.” He was arrested and charged under Pakistan’s “blasphemy” laws, which make willful desecration of the Quran punishable with life imprisonment.


http://frontpagemag.com/2012/01/06/muslim-persecution-of-christians-the-christmas-edition/

Muslim Persecution of Christians: The Christmas Edition


by Raymond Ibrahim, January 6, 2012


The Nigerian church bombings, wherein the Islamic group Boko Haram killed over 40 people celebrating Christmas mass, is just the most obvious example of anti-Christian sentiment in December.  Elsewhere around the Muslim world, Christmas time for Christians is a time of increased threats, harassment, and fear, which is not surprising, considering Muslim clerics maintain that “saying Merry Christmas is worse than fornication or killing someone.” A few examples:

• Egypt: The Coptic Church is being threatened with a repeat of “Nag Hammadi,” the area where drive-by Muslims shot to death six Christians as they exited church after celebrating Christmas mass in 2010. Due to fears of a repeat, the diocese has “cancel[ed] all festivities for New Year’s Eve and Christmas Eve.”

• Indonesia:  In a “brutal act” that has “strongly affected the Catholic community,” days before Christmas, “vandals decapitated the statue of the Virgin Mary in a small grotto … a cross was stolen and the aspersorium was badly damaged.”

• Iran: There were reports of a sharp increase of activities against Christians prior to Christmas by the State Security centers of the Islamic Republic. Local churches were “ordered to cancel Christmas and New Year’s celebrations as a show of their compliance and support” for “the two month-long mourning activities of the Shia’ Moslems.”

• Malaysia:  Parish priests and church youth leaders had to get “caroling” permitsâ€"requiring them to submit their full names and identity card numbers at police stationsâ€"simply to “visit their fellow church members and belt out ‘Joy to the World,’ [or] ‘Silent Night, Holy Night.’”

• Pakistan: “Intelligence reports warned of threats of terrorist attacks on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,” adding that most church security is “inadequate.”  Christians also lamented that “extreme power outages have become routine during Christmas and Easter seasons.”

Meanwhile, if Christians under Islam are forced to live like dhimmisâ€"non-Muslims under Muslim authority, treated as second-class citizensâ€"in the West, voluntarily playing the dhimmi to appease Muslims during Christmas time is commonplace: the University of London held Christmas service featuring readings from the Quran (which condemns the incarnation, that is, Christmas); and “a posh Montreal suburb has decided to remove a nativity scene and menorah from town hall rather than acquiesce to demands from a Muslim group to erect Islamic religious symbols.”
Categorized by theme, the rest of December’s batch of Muslim persecution of Christians around the world includes (but is not limited to) the following accounts, listed according to theme and in country alphabetical order, not necessarily severity.

CHURCH ATTACKS
Ethiopia: A video of some 500 Muslims burning down a church on November 29 while crying “Allahu Akbar!” appeared.  The pretext for burning this church was that it had no “permit”â€"even though it was built on land owned by Christians for 60 years.


Indonesia: An “Islamic extremist” group is pushing hard to have five churches demolished, again, to claims that the churches have no permit. The congregation of another “embattled church” that Muslims are trying to shut down “was forced to move its Christmas prayers to a member’s house after Islamic groups assembled at the disputed site making threats.

Iran: While celebrating Christmas, a church was raided by State Security. All those present, including Sunday school children, were arrested and interrogated.  Hundreds of Christian books were seized.  The detained Christians suffered “considerable verbal abuses”; the whereabouts of others arrested, including the reverend and his wife, remain unknown. “Raids and detentions during the Christmas season are not uncommon in Iran, a Shi’a-majority country that is seen as one of the worst persecutors of religious minorities.”

Nigeria: Weeks before the Christmas Day church bombings, another jihadi attack, enabled by “local Muslims,” left five churches destroyed and several Christians killed: “The Muslims in this town were going round town pointing out church buildings and shops owned by Christians to members of Boko Haram, and they in turn bombed these churches and shops.”

Turkey: A large-scale al-Qaeda plot to bomb “all the churches in Ankara,” was exposed.  An official indictment against al-Qaeda members earlier arrested revealed the homegrown terrorist cell’s plans to attack Ankara’s churches and their Christian clergy.


http://frontpagemag.com/2012/01/06/muslim-persecution-of-christians-the-christmas-edition/

Animal Farm-esque?

Nong, kini may lami nga jogging partner

LOL! hahahahaha

Quote from: chicogon on January 12, 2012, 12:59:46 PM
Wala bitaw jud motugnaw this year... maski lang usa ka semana nga tugnaw wala pa jod 

I was walking in the park and I saw three very beautiful women dressed in tight spandex attire jogging with no coats. I thought to myself, "Thank God there is no cold winter season and Thank God for the beautiful view"

Beautiful faces! Good to see you three had a great time!

bwahaha

Quote from: islander on January 11, 2012, 08:28:13 PM
obviously hawking was talking about future possibilities.  his is just a seed of an idea that may or may not see fruition centuries from now. 

Hopefully in the future...

Just got back from work. Going to take a long walk in the park. The weather is astounding here in Chicago. It's January and still no snow!

Quote from: islander on January 11, 2012, 07:08:00 PM
grade 1 pa ay.  ako grade 2 na:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N6jHsAU63g#ws

lol. sosyal gajud si islander.

Quote from: islander on January 11, 2012, 06:50:23 PM
i really, really enjoyed it, hahaha!  and yes, it is my favorite yoyoy villame song, next to 'magellan' with the immortal "o mader, mader, i am sick/ call doctor lorenz bery quick/ lorenz, lorenz, shall i die?/ yes my yoyoy by and by..."

bwahahahaha !!  im glad you liked it, isles.

Note: Many of the muslims that live in the west and in countries with 'enlightened' civil liberties laws are able to practice their religion. However, the Christians who live in predominantly Muslim countries live in fear of retaliation.

In the United States, a predominatly Christian nation, the muslims live in freedom to worship their religion because their rights are protected by the American Constitution and secondary groups such as the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), NAACP (National Association for Advancement of Colored Peoples) etc.

However, if you were a Christian who tried to build a Christian Church in Pakistan, or if you were a Christian who attends Church on Sundays, you are in danger of getting killed by some fundamentalist muslim. This is going on everyday in many muslim countries that still apply Islamic Sharia Laws.

I have a good colleague in the hospital with me, Joseph, an Egyptian Christian. He immigrated to the United States in 1998 after his father was shot and killed point blank range by Egyptian police men because he was celebrating Easter. Many Christian Arabs do not hold the muslim faith with respect because they lived in a muslim society, experienced TRUE oppression.

Christian Minister in Pakistan Murdered By Muslim Gunmen



Pakistani militants shot dead Pakistan's only Christian government minister for challenging a law that mandates the death penalty for insulting Islam, the latest sign of instability in a country where many fear radical Islam is becoming more mainstream.

Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti is the second senior official this year to be assassinated for opposing the blasphemy law. Provincial governor Salman Taseer was shot dead by his own bodyguard in January....

Bhatti was shot by men in shawls in broad daylight while he was traveling in a car near a market in the capital, Islamabad, police said. The Pakistani Militants claimed responsibility for the killing, saying the minister had been "punished" for being a blasphemer....

Witnesses said the attackers scattered leaflets signed by "The Qaeda and the Taliban of Punjab" at the attack scene, which read: "This is the punishment of this cursed man."


http://islamradio.es/english/index.php/news/105-news/news4/140-pakistani-christian-minister-killed-by-muslims

A Christian Village Set Ablaze in Pakistan. 2009.





In August 2009, a mob of religious bigots took seven lives in Gojra, Pakistan, which has a Christian minority, and the whole village was set ablaze.

This violent act continued for five hours and busloads of people joined the mob from neighborhoods with the police backing away. This horrifying violence left religious minorities asking the question, “Will it happen elsewhere again?”

http://criticalppp.com/archives/49665

Christians in Pakistan who had their home destroyed by members of the community. The reason: Failing to convert to Islam.

The Persecution of Christians in Pakistan



In Pakistan 1.5% of the population are Christian. Pakistani law mandates that "blasphemies" of the Qur'an are to be met with punishment. Ayub Masih, a Christian, was convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to death in 1998. He was accused by a neighbor of stating that he supported British writer Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses. Lower appeals courts upheld the conviction. However, before the Pakistan Supreme Court, his lawyer was able to prove that the accuser had used the conviction to force Masih's family off their land and then acquired control of the property. Masih has been released.

In October 2001, gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on a Protestant congregation in the Punjab, killing 18 people. The identify of the gunmen are unknown. Officials think it might be a banned Islamic group

In March 2002, five people were killed in an attack on a church in Islamabad, including an American schoolgirl and her mother

In August 2002, masked gunmen stormed a Christian missionary school for foreigners in Islamabad, six people were killed and three injured. None of those killed were children of foreign missionaries.

n August 2002, grenades were thrown at a church in the grounds of a Christian hospital in north-west Pakistan, near Islamabad, killing three nurses.

In November 2005 3,000 militant Islamists attacked Christians in Sangla Hill in Pakistan and destroyed Roman Catholic, Salvation Army and United Presbyterian churches. The attack was over allegations of violation of blasphemy laws by a Pakistani Christian named Yousaf Masih. The attacks were widely condemned by some political parties in Pakistan.

On 5 June 2006 a Pakistani Christian stonemason, Nasir Ashraf, was working near Lahore when he drank water from a public facility using a glass chained to the facility. He was assaulted by Muslims for "Polluting the glass". A mob developed, who beat Ashraf, calling him a "Christian dog". Bystanders encouraged the beating and joined in. Ashraf was eventually hospitalized.

One year later, in August 2007, a Christian missionary couple, Rev. Arif and Kathleen Khan, were gunned down by militant Islamists in Islamabad. Pakistani police believed that the murders was committed by a member of Khan's parish over alleged sexual harassment by Khan. This assertion is widely doubted by Khan's family as well as by Pakistani Christians.

In August 2009, six Christians, including 4 women and a child, were burnt alive by Muslim militants and a church set ablaze in Gojra, Pakistan when violence broke out after alleged desecration of a Qur'an in a wedding ceremony by Christians.


On Nov. 8, 2010, a Christian woman from Punjab Province, Asia Noreen Bibi, was sentenced to death by hanging for violating Pakistan's blasphemy law. The accusation stemmed from a 2009 incident in which Bibi became involved in a religious argument after offering water to thirsty Muslim farm workers. The workers later claimed that she had blasphemed the Prophet Muhammed. As of 8 April 2011, Bibi is in solitary confinement. Her family has fled. No one in Pakistan convicted of blasphemy has ever been executed. A cleric has offered $5,800 to anyone who kills her.


On 2 March 2011, the only Christian minister in the Pakistan government was shot dead. He was targeted for opposing the anti-free speech "blasphemy" law, which punishes insulting Islam or its Prophet. A fundamentalist Muslim group claimed responsibility.




Source: Wikipedia.com

Quote from: islander on January 11, 2012, 11:46:43 PM
we can even go back a long way...


killing in the name of christianity

Elements of the Crusades were criticized by some from the time of their inception in 1095.  For example, Roger Bacon felt the Crusades were not effective because, "those who survive, together with their children, are more and more embittered against the Christian faith."  In spite of such criticism, the movement was widely supported in Europe long after the fall of Acre in 1291. 

St. Francis of Assisi crossed enemy lines to meet the Sultan of Egypt.  Hoeberichts cast doubt on the intentions most Christian historians assign to Francis.

From the fall of Acre forward, the Crusades to recover Jerusalem and the Christian East were largely lost.  Later, 18th century Enlightenment thinkers judged the Crusaders harshly.  Likewise, some modern historians in the West expressed moral outrage.  In the 1950s, Sir Steven Runciman wrote a resounding condemnation:

    "High ideals were besmirched by cruelty and greed ... the Holy War was nothing more than a long act of intolerance in the name of God."

-excerpts from wikipedia

The Crusades occurred almost over a millennia ago. The Christian Church has apologized for their actions in it, the late Pope John Paul II offered his apologies for the Catholic Church's involvement in it.

The massacres of Christians by Muslims is occurring now. In the present.


---------------


Saving one of his most audacious initiatives for the twilight of his papacy, John Paul II yesterday attempted to purify the soul of the Roman Catholic church by making a sweeping apology for 2,000 years of violence, persecution and blunders.

From the altar of St Peter's Basilica in Rome he led Catholicism into unchartered territory by seeking forgiveness for sins committed against Jews, heretics, women, Gypsies and native peoples.

Fighting through trembles and slurrings caused by Parkinson's disease, the Pope electrified ranks of cardinals and bishops by pleading for a future that would not repeat the mistakes. "Never again," he said.

Centuries of hate and rivalry could not recur in the third millennium. "We forgive and we ask forgiveness. We are asking pardon for the divisions among Christians, for the use of violence that some have committed in the service of truth, and for attitudes of mistrust and hostility assumed towards followers of other religions."

Plea for brotherhood

Defying warnings from some theologians that the unprecedented apology would undermine the church's authority, the 79-year-old pontiff asked God to forgive the persecution of the Jews. "We are deeply saddened by the behaviour of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and asking your forgiveness we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood."

Wearing the purple vestments of lenten mourning, the Pope sought pardon for seven categories of sin: general sins; sins in the service of truth; sins against Christian unity; against the Jews; against respect for love, peace and cultures; against the dignity of women and minorities; and against human rights.

Ethnic groups had endured "contempt for their cultures and religious traditions". Women were "all too often humiliated and marginalised". Trust in wealth and power had obscured the church's responsibility to the poor and oppressed.

There was no reference to homosexuals, who had asked to be included for suffering theocratic violence. The Pope did not identify guilty individuals or name the crusades, the Inquisition or the Holocaust, but the references were clear.

Five Vatican cardinals and two bishops confessed sins on behalf of the church during the ceremony. Cardinal Edward Cassidy recalled the "sufferings of the people of Israel" asked divine pardon for the "sins committed by not a few [Catholics] against the people of the covenant".

'Warped' view

Several Jewish leaders praised the sermon as historic and significant but Israel's chief rabbi said he was deeply frustrated by the Pope's failure to mention the Holocaust, and described the service as "a severely warped view of history".

Rabbi Israel Meir Lau joined other Israelis in expressing hope that the pope had omitted acknowledging the church's passivity during the Holocaust only because he was planning a specific apology during next week's pilgrimage to the holy land.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the congregation of the doctrine of the faith, confessed to the sins of the congregation's predecessor, the Inquisition. "Even men of the church, in the name of faith and morals, have sometimes used methods not in keeping with the Gospel," he said.

Applause from the congregation greeted the Pope's arrival in the basilica. He kneeled before the Pieta, Michelangelo's statue of the dead Christ in the arms of his mother, before being wheeled to the altar. He leaned on his silver staff and it took several attempts for him to get out of his chair to kiss a crucifix. The Vatican no longer denies the Pope has Parkinson's disease. An operation to remove a tumour, several falls and an assassination attempt have left him hunched and stiff.

Seeking forgiveness has been a leitmotif of his papacy since his election in 1978. He has apologised for the crusades, the massacre of French Protestants, the trial of Galileo and anti-semitism.

Yesterday's apology was by far the most sweeping and an unprecedented act for the leader of a major religion. One of the highlights of this year's jubilee, or holy year, it was the result of four years' research by a panel of 28 theologians and scholars.

Disquiet that the apology was a beautiful gesture but a theological mistake bubbled to the surface last week.

Echoing widespread concern from liberal as well as conservative theologians, the Bishop of Como, Alessandro Maggiolini, said: "In whose name, exactly, is the holy father asking pardon? He is relying on a group of experts, but tomorrow another group of experts might come up with different examples."

Other churchmen said the gesture would be seen by Muslims as a sign of weakness and by secular enemies as a cue to launch further attacks.

The Pope's persistence in ramming through the initiative, despite resistance inside the Vatican, has doused claims that he has effectively retired and abandoned policy-making.

The document that provides the theological framework emphasises a distinction between the sins committed by the church's sons and daughters and the church itself, which remains holy and immaculate.

Speaking after the ceremony to the crowd in St Peter's Square, the Pope stressed he was seeking forgiveness not from those who had been wronged, but from God. "Only he can do that."

2,000 years of violence and persecution

The Crusades

Pope Urban II, anxious to assert Rome's authority in the east, sent a military expedition in 1095 to reconquer the holy land. The crusaders ravaged the countries they passed through and massacred the Muslim, Jewish and even Christian population of Jerusalem after capturing it in 1099. After 200 years of conflict Muslim armies drove them out for good, but the crusaders' symbol of the red cross remains provocative.

The Inquisition

The attempt to combat suspected apostates, Jews and Muslims at the time of the Reformation spawned tribunals in Europe and the new world that tortured and executed thousands. Ecclesiastical queasiness about flowing blood led to the use of racks, thumbscrews and red-hot metal instead of blades; 2,000 people were burned at the stake during the tenure of Spain's first grand inquisitor, Tomas de Torquemada.

The Holocaust

Pope Pius XII never publicly condemned the Nazis' persecution of Jews, even when they were being rounded up and deported from Rome. His silence is partly blamed for the failure of Germany's Catholics to resist Hitler. Anti-Jewish Catholic doctrines such as the claim that the Jews murdered Christ were said to have ideologically underpinned nazism. Vatican officials allegedly helped Nazis escape Europe after the war.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2000/mar/13/catholicism.religion

Quote from: islander on January 12, 2012, 12:14:14 AM
we know the IRA's opponent is the united kingdom.  we know too that they happen to be catholics who are up in arms against those who happen to be protestants, as exemplified most of all by the orangemen.  yet no one dared, not the western press, ever call them "catholic terrorists".  why is it so easy for us to say "muslim terrorists"? 

The IRA is a terrorist organization , who act directly against Catholic Doctrine, which does not support the killing of life. The One, Holy, Apostolic Roman Catholic Church reasserts the importance of human life. Born and Unborn. IRA members have utilized their actions to accomplish a political goal/ message, which is their opposition of the occupation of Northern Ireland, which is a member body of the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Quote from: islander on January 12, 2012, 12:19:51 AM
closer to your home...


looks familiar?


The lynching of Leo Frank (a Jew)

they are christians!

The Ku Klux Klan is a racist , anti-semitic, anti-catholic, anti-orthodoxy, anti-miscegenation. This group does not represent Christianity. It feeds on the notion of White Superiority and the Inferiority of non-whites, which is totally and absolutely baseless.

Jesus Christ was not White European. Jesus Christ was a Semitic Hebrew. A native of Galilee.

11. Esse must be infinite.

Space is nothing but the changing of the over-here to the over-there. Anything that is actually here is potentially there. But because esse is immutable, it must be outside the realm of space. It has no spatial constraintsâ€"that is, esse is infinite.

12. Esse must be omniscient.

Even if you’re a brain in a vat, you can perceive that you have the capacity to know. Because you are only partly actual, and esse is purely actual, esse must know all there is to know. That is, esse is all-knowing, or omniscient.

13. Esse must be omnipotent.

You can perceive that you have the capacity to do some things that are logically possible. Since you are only partly actual, and esse is purely actual, esse must be able to do all things that are logically possible. That is, esse is all-powerful, or omnipotent.

We have thus proven the existence of a being (esse) that not only does exist but must exist and is one, unchanging, eternal, infinite, omniscient, and omnipotent. This matches our definition of God that we stated at the beginning.

We can conclude, then, that even if all of your sense perceptions are false, even if you are nothing but a brain in a vat being manipulated by scientists into believing that you are reading this article right now when in fact you are not, there are two things you can know with absolute, 100 percent certainty: (1) You exist, and (2) God exists.

6. Esse not only does exist but must exist.

Existence itself is pure actuality, with no potentiality in it. This means that the essence of existence is nothing other than existence. Existence is its own essence.

From this it follows that esse itself must exist, for if it did not, it would violate its own essence, which is impossible.

7. Esse is distinct from everything else that exists.

You can know from step 1 that you exist, and we know from step 3 that esse exists. But we also know that the two are not identical.

Let’s say you’re just a brain in a vat, that everything you perceive is an illusion. You can still recognize that, while you are actual in some ways, you are potential in other ways. You actually perceive that you’re reading this article right now; you’re potentially perceiving something else. You are actually existing right now; you potentially exist five minutes from now. Moreover, anything else that may exist has the same attribute: Its essence is composed of both actuality and potentiality.

But, as we saw in step 5, esse is nothing but pure actuality. Thus, it must be distinct from any other entity.

8. Esse must be one.

If there were more than one esse, then there would be distinctions among them. But distinctions imply limitations, and limitations imply potentiality. But since esse is pure actuality, it has no limitations, which means there is no distinction in esse. Therefore, there is only one esse.

9. Esse must be immutable.

Change involves potentiality. In order for something to change, it must first have the potential to change; it must have a potentiality that is to be actualized. But since esse is purely actual, it has no potential to change. Therefore, esse is unchanging.

10. Esse must be eternal.

Time is nothing but the passing of the future into the present into the past. It is the changing of the not-yet into the now into the no-longer. But because esse does not change, it does not change from the future to the present to the past. It must be outside the realm of time, which means that there is no future, present, or past with esse. In other words, esse is non-temporal, or eternal.

1. One cannot deny one’s own existence.

Cogito, ergo sum. Even if you’re just a brain in a vat, your own existence can be verified simply by the fact that you perceiveâ€"that is, you see, hear, smell, taste and touch things. Whether or not your perceptions are accurate is another question, but even if you doubt your own existence, you must exist, for it is impossible for a non-existent thing to doubt. In fact, the very act of doubting proves that you exist. Therefore, denying your own existence is a contradiction in terms. I can deny yours and you can deny mine, but I can’t doubt mine, nor can you doubt yours.

2. There is at least one thing that exists.

It is possible for you to be deceived in your perception. In fact, it’s conceivable that every one of your perceptions is a delusion. But even if that is the caseâ€"even if nothing you think exists actually existsâ€"you still must exist.

Entity is the word we have for anything that exists. You exist, so you are an entity.

3. There is such a thing as existence.

You can know with certainty that there is at least one entity, at least one thing of which the term existence can be predicated. If there were no such thing as existence, nothing would exist, not even you. But, as we have seen already, that is impossible.

As Aquinas would say, there must be an "act of being" in which all entities participate. This act of being must itself exist; it must be an entity. Thomas calls this entity esse, which is Latin for "to be" or "to exist."

4. The nature of esse is actuality.

Now that we have established that esse is an entity, we must ask: What is the nature of this entity? What is its definition?

To answer these questions, we must consider existence by itself, apart from everything else.

What do we mean when we say that something exists? We mean that it is actual. For example, an acorn is actually an acorn and potentially a tree. A tree is actually a tree and potentially lumber. Lumber is actually lumber and potentially a desk. A desk is actually a desk and potentially firewood. Firewood is actually firewood and potentially ashes.

In other words, a thing is actually what it is right now; it is potentially what it might be in the future.

Now when we say that something exists, we normally refer to actuality rather than potentiality. For instance, if I held up an egg and said, "This egg exists," you would understand me, because what I am saying is "This egg is actual" or "This is actually an egg." But if I held up the egg and said, "This chicken exists," that would not make sense to you, because even though the egg is potentially a chicken (that is, the chicken exists potentially), the concept of existence applies primarily to the egg’s actual state and only secondarily to its potential state.

Now potentiality is still a form of existence, but we realize that it is, in some sense, inferior to actuality. In other words, potentiality is a "shade" of existence the same way that pink is a shade of red. Just as we would say that pink lemonade is red but not in the same way that Hawaiian punch is red, so we say that potentiality exists but not as much as actuality does. Actuality is the fullness of existence.

So, again, taking the brain-in-a-vat hypothesis, you know that you are actual, even if nothing else you perceive exists.

5. Esse is nothing but pure actuality.

Potentiality is a privation of actuality. That is, it is not a thing in itself but the absence of something. In the same way, darkness is not a substance itself but the absence (or privation) of light.

Now a thing considered in itself contains nothing but its fullness. The nature (or essence) of light consists of nothing but light itself; it does not contain darkness. Therefore, the essence of esse contains nothing but its fullness, actuality. There is no potentiality in the nature of esse. Thus, the essence of esse is pure actuality, just as the essence of light is pure light.

Thomas argues that all entities participate in esse insofar as they are actual. Therefore, that in which they participateâ€"esseâ€"must be actual. In fact, it cannot admit of any potentiality.

Let’s start by taking a position of radical doubt. Suppose for a moment that you are not really a human being with an actual body. In reality, you are nothing more than a brain floating in a vat of fluids, with electrodes attached to various parts of your exterior that allow evil scientists to manipulate you into thinking that what you perceive is actually there, when in fact it is nothing more than an imaginary world constructed by the scientists. Right now, they are making you think that you are reading this article when in fact you are not.

From this point of extreme skepticism, we will prove beyond all possible doubt that God exists.

A Proof of the Existence of God

By James Kidd



The First Vatican Council taught that the existence of God can be proven by our reason alone:

    God, the origin and end of all things, can be known with certainty by the natural light of human reason, through the things that he created. (Dei Filius 2)

But the Church has never offered an actual proof of God; it has left that to the philosophers. Although many have attempted to prove God’s existence, what they end up with is mere arguments. They may be quite persuasive, but they lack the metaphysical certitude of a mathematical proof. They may presuppose some bit of knowledge, or they may leave room for possible doubt.

But the medieval understanding of God, which St. Thomas Aquinas espoused, does not allow for doubting his existence. The proof that follows is a paraphrasing of the Angelic Doctor’s many writings that dealt with this subject. It proves the existence of a being that is one, immutable, eternal, infinite, omniscient, and omnipotent.

In fact, you can be more certain that God exists than that you are reading this article right now.

Violent muslim communities in Indonesia's Sulawesi Island have time and time again brutally killed Christian children who did not convert to their religion, islam. The children were beheaded. This is "justice" in islam. A barbarious religion...

Quote from: Lorenzo on January 11, 2012, 01:56:03 PM


A terrible crime has been committed in Poso, in Central Sulawasi, Indonesia, which for several years has seen sectarian violence against the Christian minority. Thugs have beheaded 3 Christian 16 year old girls walking back from school. This Voice of America report tells how the anti-Christian violence has attracted Islamic militants to Sulawasi. WARNING: the following image from Reuters Alertnet is disturbing, but documents the absolutely inhuman and barbaric cruelty of the Islamic militants.The account of the attack is documented in this Reuters report, which describes National police spokesman Aryanto Budiharjo as saying up to 6 veiled men dressed in black used machetes to kill the girls from Bukit Bambu village.

May the Lord Jesus Christ welcome these little young ones into His Kingdom In Heaven.....As Martyrs of the Christian Faith.

A terrible crime has been committed in Poso, in Central Sulawasi, Indonesia, which for several years has seen sectarian violence against the Christian minority. Thugs have beheaded 3 Christian 16 year old girls walking back from school. This Voice of America report tells how the anti-Christian violence has attracted Islamic militants to Sulawasi. WARNING: the following image from Reuters Alertnet is disturbing, but documents the absolutely inhuman and barbaric cruelty of the Islamic militants.The account of the attack is documented in this Reuters report, which describes National police spokesman Aryanto Budiharjo as saying up to 6 veiled men dressed in black used machetes to kill the girls from Bukit Bambu village.

The continued persecution and killing of the beleaguered Christians in the Middle East is FACT! Nowhere in the world is there so much blatant and violent hatred towards Christians -- than in the Middle East.



Christians protesting the right to Worship Christ ; being suppressed by Egyptian police....

This is 'justice' according to Islam. The slaughter of these innocent Christian children...

Jesus, speaking at the synagogue at Capernaum after declaring Himself to be the Bread of Life and the Living Bread, does say:


"The one eating My flesh and drinking my blood has everlasting life!  And I will raise him up at the last day. For My Flesh is Truly Food, and My Blood is Truly Drink. The one eating My flesh and drinking My blood abides in Me and I in him. Even as the living Father sent Me, and I live through the Father; also the one eating Me, even that one will live through Me."

-John 6:54-57

"For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the Body eats and drinks judgment upon himself."

   -1 Corinthians 11:29

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to the disciples. 'Take it and eat,' he said, 'this is my body.' Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he handed it to them saying, 'Drink from this, all of you, for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'

-Matthew 26:26-28

Awesome book!

this book is written by:Chris Stefanick



Welcome to the new tyranny…

“If it feels good, do it.”

“That’s your opinion, and this is mine.”

“I don’t want to impose my beliefs on others.“

“What’s true for one person may not be true for another….”

And thus the Dictator of Relativism speaks â€" as he has always spoken â€" to seduce humanity into a false sense of freedom.

But with the election of Benedict XVI, Christ’s personally chosen defender of the Truth is fighting back.

In fact, in his homily on April 18, 2005, Benedict seems to know where the real battle lines are being drawn: “We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one's own ego and desires.”

Six years later, despite the unfailing efforts of the Catholic Church, things haven’t gotten much better â€" as society seems more hell-bent than ever on:

    * Ignoring the natural law “written on our hearts.”
    * Undermining the family with so-called “same-sex marriage”
    * Destroying the sacredness of life through unabated abortion on demand.
    * Warping the proper intellectual, emotional and spiritual formation of children.
    * Abrogating human rights to those who dare oppose relativism’s dictatorship.

But the fight continues.

In a new booklet Absolute Relativism: The New Dictatorship And What To Do About It, Chris Stefanick tackles all the tough questions about Relativism by showing how bankrupt and impractical it is.

Through a down-to-earth, easily accessible Question-and-Answer format, Stefanick’s book shows that far from being the answer to “World Peace” â€" or even personal peace of mind â€" Relativism suffers from a self-destructive rot.

Indeed, this pernicious philosophy’s glittering façade may be updated with each generation’s quest for meaning, but as Stefanick shows, this dead-end error remains the same cop-out it was the day the Truth Himself took up his cross to defeat it.In Absolute Relativism you’ll learn:

    * Why relativism inherently contradicts its own claims.
    * What makes it one of the worst ideas in the history of ideas.
    * How relativism has a direct influence on the morals and virtues of a nation.
    * Why relativism doesn’t even work “on the ground” in “real life.”
    * Who relativism has hurt in history â€" and who it continues to hurt today.
    * How relativism is counterproductive to the true practice of tolerance in society.
    * Why religion â€" which makes claims to absolute truth â€" is finally more tolerant than relativism.
    * What Christianity has almost singlehandedly done to foster true tolerance in the world.
    * How all laws legislate morality and all relativists are lying when they say otherwise!
    * Why Jesus was anything but a relativist in his approach to sinners.
    * How the so-called impasse between religion and science is for the most part a myth.
    * What the true meaning of “open-minded” means â€" it’s not what you think!
    * Why, ultimately, relativism is a step backwards in true human progress.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OCaX4SaFRU#

Quote from: chicogon on January 08, 2012, 02:11:42 PM
More FUN-eral in the Philippines 

hahaha ay yay!

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

-Ephesians 5:25

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

-1 Corinthians 11: 3

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”

-John 6: 60-64