Category Archives: Religion

May 14, 2012

ObamaCare’s Muslim Exemption

Muslims may claim a religious exemption that is denied Christians and Jews. Since Islam believes insurance is haraam (forbidden) and likens insurance to gambling, the religion is excluded from requirements, mandates, or penalties set forth in the bill. Others who fall into this category are the Amish, American Indians, and Christian Scientists. Although the U.S. Constitution grants all Americans equal protection of the law, some Americans are more equal than others.

Laws almost always create unanticipated consequences. This is certainly likely to be the case when politicians bend over backwards to accommodate the currents of political correctness.

ObamaCare uses the Social Security language of the Internal Revenue Code to determine who is eligible for “religious conscience” objection to the insurance mandate. Specifically, the law provides exemptions for adherents of “recognized religious sects” that are “conscientiously opposed” to accepting benefits from any insurance, public or private.

As a consequence of this provision, Muslims may claim a religious exemption that is denied Christians and Jews. Since Islam believes insurance is haraam (forbidden) and likens insurance to gambling, the religion is excluded from requirements, mandates, or penalties set forth in the bill. Others who fall into this category are the Amish, American Indians, and Christian Scientists. Although the U.S. Constitution grants all Americans equal protection of the law, some Americans are more equal than others.

ObamaCare is specifically written not to apply equally to everyone. It is in most respects a law intended to discriminate — what some might call an extended Jim Crow law. If this seems exaggerated, consider: Jim Crow laws were based on racial discrimination, while ObamaCare is predicated on religious discrimination. Government acted based on a preconceived and arbitrary understanding of what is right.

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Original source.


May 6, 2012

The U.S. & the World with Patrick J. Buchanan: Chapter 2 of 5 (Video)

Pat Buchanan discusses Christianity and how its importance has dwindled in the United States and Europe. Pat Buchanan was a speech writer for President Nixon, the communications director for President Reagan, and was a presidential candidate in 1992, 1996 and 2000. He is the author of countless books, of most recently Suicide of a Superpower.

Video linked here.

Original source.


‘Forward!’ by Tom Tancredo

Community organizers like Barack went forward to spread the gospel of identity politics. They recognized that a new proletariat could be built out of the creation of a host of “victimized” groups. These would not be made up only of race and gender specifications, but eco-terrorists, crony capitalists and an ever-expanding class of freeloaders who could deliver votes to remake society from within.

Obama has adopted “Forward” as a slogan for his re-election campaign. It is not very original. It has been used by other leftist movements throughout the world.

I can see why he chose it. After all, who can be against moving forward? Whatever the observer deems to be a desirable future will be what he or she assumes the slogan has in mind.

So what does “forward” mean to the Obama team? Well, we can only assume it reflects the continued effort to thoroughly “transform America” – a promised goal of the 2008 campaign.

Along those lines, Obama and his mentors long ago came to the realization that the old Marxian tactics based on the division of society into two competing camps – the bourgeoisie and the proletariat – failed to bring about the “transforming” revolution. These tactics were posited on the assumption that the plight of the working class would inexorably deteriorate and that, eventually, after the middle class had been wiped out by “big business” and after enough blood had been shed, the worker’s paradise would emerge.

The fact that capitalism proved to be the greatest mechanism ever devised to provide massive improvements in lifestyles – and life spans – has not stopped the left from seeking to kill the goose that has laid this remarkable golden egg.

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Original source.


April 15, 2012

‘Anti-Christian bigotry’ OK to preserve ‘diversity’

Spokesman Robert Muise of the AFLC noted that the lower court ruled that the school’s “diversity” interests outweighed Dixon’s First Amendment rights.

Arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court has determined that “no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion,” a legal team has appealed the dismissal of an administrator from the University of Toledo in Ohio for her opinion of homosexuality.

The appeal to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes on behalf of Crystal Dixon, who was fired by the university in 2008 after expressing her “personal, Christian viewpoint on homosexuality” in an op-ed published in a local newspaper.

“In direct contravention,” the appeal states, “defendants seek to prescribe what ‘shall be orthodox’ in matters of opinion by permitting University of Toledo employees to express personal messages that promote certain favored viewpoints on controversial political and social issues, while censoring certain disfavored viewpoints, such as plaintiff’s Christian viewpoint on the issue of homosexuality.”

The American Freedom Law Center is working on the case in conjunction with the Thomas More Law Center.

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Original source.


April 11, 2012

Welfare Fraud: Billions for Zeros

We need to revisit Remi Fakorede, who invented phantom disabled children to amass an impressive £1 million. But it was not her fault, she told the judge in 2008. A “voodoo man” who had already killed her mother with a curse warned Remi that if she did not cooperate in the scam she would lose her fingers.

Most immigrants don’t cheat on benefits, although the knowledge that Britain has a welfare state is a powerful attractant. When they get here they are encouraged to apply for their “entitlements” with claims forms available in no fewer than 165 languages. Some who cheat may have been inspired by homegrown hucksters—such as the man who claimed £60,000 in disability payments for being unable to walk properly or dress himself yet won archery competitions and could drag trailers across fields. There was the rheumatoid arthritis sufferer filmed playing golf—and the woman who claimed child benefits for ten imaginary children and disability benefits for two real but non-disabled children. Then there was the Pirates of the Caribbean actor, the leading Paralympian, and an aristocrat of sorts. Even rock gods can fall: Iron Maiden’s former lead singer claimed almost £46,000 in disability, housing, and council tax payments for back problems. His error was in touring with the band while he was officially incapacitated and allowing these energetic performances to be broadcast on YouTube.

The previous government made halfhearted efforts to deal with benefit fraud—halfhearted because most of those they were investigating belonged to one or other of Labour’s client constituencies. In any case, they have a sentimental attachment to benefits, because the postwar left’s raison d’être has been to make extravagantly unaffordable promises to anyone, then shriek like banshees whenever an adult points out how feckless they’ve been.

In 2007/2008, the government spent £154 million to get £22 million back. In 2010, a trumpeted blitz on £93 million worth of benefit fraud recouped only £47,000. By the time the new government came in, the annual cost of fraud, error, and overpayments in the highly complex system (there are more than 50 benefits) was put at £5.2 billion; £1.5 billion of that was fraud.

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Original source.


April 10, 2012

Rev. Wright Unleashed: ‘White Supremacy’ Drives ‘World Policy,’ Allah & Yahweh Are the ‘Same’

The controversial preacher also showed no love for Justice Thomas, as he told his audience that, though Thomas “looks like” them, he is “worshipping some other God.” He also made an intriguing comparison about the God of the Hebrew Bible and the Lord depicted in the Quran.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright delivered three fiery sermons about faith, race and politics at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Charleston, West Virginia

Wright said Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas worships “some other God” outside of “Allah and Yahweh” (who are the “same” he says)

Obama’s former pastor called Thomas Jefferson “a pedophile”

He sees “white supremacy” driving “world policy”

Wright condemned the U.S. military, saying, “fighting for peace is like raping for virginity”

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright became a household name during the 2008 presidential campaign. The fiery preacher, who was President Barack Obama’s pastor for two decades, has since retired from his position at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois. However, he’s still an active figure in geopolitical and faith movements, as his bizarre commentaries often offend detractors and inspire intense debate.

Last week, Wright spoke at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Charleston, West Virginia, as part of a week-long revival event. His controversial words took aim at Thomas Jefferson, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the media and plenty of other targets.

“I’m not divisive, the media is divisive,” he said, going on to lament the soundbites he claims were unfairly used to disparage him during the 2008 campaign.

As could be expected, the three evening sermons he delivered during the revival often turned to themes and subjects much more controversial than alleged media bias.

“Believers beware,” Wright preached in one of his lessons. “There are some conversations you will find yourselves in in which there is no communication taking place.”

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Original source.


April 1, 2012

Officials: 3 killed as human sacrifices in Mexico

Details of the case were laid out in a statement from the Sonora State Investigative Police (PEI), which described the cult as a “Satanic sect.”


Santa Muerte

Authorities in the northern Mexican state of Sonora have arrested eight people accused of killing two boys and one woman as human sacrifices for Santa Muerte — the saint of death — officials said Friday.

The victims, two of whom were age 10, were killed and their blood was offered at an altar to the saint, according to Jose Larrinaga, spokesman for state prosecutors. The accused were asking the saint, who is generally portrayed as a skeleton dressed in a long robe and carrying a scythe, for protection, he said.

Santa Muerte is a favorite among criminals and the country’s drug traffickers. The saint, though not recognized by the Catholic Church, has taken off in popularity in recent years.

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Original source.


March 26, 2012

Pope says communism does not work in Cuba

Pope Benedict said on Friday that communism had failed in Cuba and offered the Church’s help in creating a new economic model, drawing a reserved response from the Cuban government ahead of his visit to the island next week.

Speaking on the plane taking him from Rome for a six-day trip to Mexico and Cuba, the Roman Catholic leader told reporters: “Today it is evident that Marxist ideology in the way it was conceived no longer corresponds to reality.”

Responding to a question about his visit to Cuba, 90 miles off the coast of the United States and a Communist bastion for more than 50 years, Benedict added: “In this way we can no longer respond and build a society. New models must be found with patience and in a constructive way.”

The 84-year-old pontiff’s comments reflected the Church’s history of anti-communism and were more pointed and critical than anything his predecessor John Paul II said on his groundbreaking visit to Cuba 14 years ago.

They were also surprising because, after decades of poor relations following Cuba’s 1959 revolution, the Church and government have moved closer in recent years, so it was widely thought the pope would avoid problems by treading lightly on controversial topics.

If Cuban leaders were riled by his comments, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez gave no hint of this news conference at the opening in Havana of the press center for the visit.

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Original source.


March 24, 2012

Report on Europe finds ‘numerous’ anti-Christian actions, crimes

One survey in the U.K. indicates popular perception agrees. Seventy-four percent of poll respondents said that there is more negative discrimination against Christians than people of other faiths.


Dr. Gudrun Kugler, director of the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe.

A new report says that 85 percent of hate crimes committed in Europe during 2011were aimed at Christians.

The report, from the Austria-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe, summarized incidents ranging from vandalism and insults to the suppression of religious symbols, desecrations, “hate crimes” and religiously motivated violence.

Dr. Gudrun Kugler, director of the observatory, said studies suggest that 85 percent of hate crimes in Europe are directed against Christians.

“It is high time for the public debate to respond to this reality!” Kugler said.

In Scotland, 95 percent of religiously motivated violence targets Christians. In France, 84 percent of vandalism is directed against Christian places of worship.

The observatory has also monitored professional restrictions on Christians. A restrictive definition of freedom of conscience means that professions such as magistrates, doctors, nurses, midwives and pharmacists are “slowly closing for Christians.”

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Original source.


March 19, 2012

Rabbi: Tebow Super Bowl Win Would Lead Christians to Burn Mosques & Banish Immigrants (Video)

Hammerman writes that, should Tebow win the Super Bowl, the faithful (i.e. Christians) will “do insane things.“ The rabbi goes on to explain that a win would ”buoy [Tebow's] faithful” and lead to mosque burnings, gay bashing and the banishment of immigrants.

[Note: This article was originally posted on December 15th, 2011. The IFNM website was attacked by hackers and many articles are now gone from the archives. As a public service, IFNM is now reposting said articles.]

The Tim Tebow debate took a bizarre turn this week when a Connecticut Rabbi wrote a scathing, Onion-like article for Jewish Week, a newspaper serving the Jewish community in New York City.

The piece, which was written by Rabbi Joshua Hammerman and seems more like a parody than a literal proclamation from a religious leader, claims that a Tebow Super Bowl win would lead to total and utter Christian-led chaos. And we’re not just talking angry football fans engaging in verbal outbursts — we’re talking mosque-burning hatred (among other purported antics).

Hammerman, the head spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Connecticut, leads the article by writing, “I’ve got a Tim Tebow problem.” After setting the 24-year-old football player up as “a poster boy of the Christian right,” Hammerman says, “Now tiny Tim has grown and is on track to possibly appear in this season’s Super Bowl – on the field – and that is what scares me.”

As the rabbi continues, he claims that the game of football is more popular than even God here in America (a point that many Americans would likely debate). His semi-lighthearted words quickly devolve. “When you combine the religion that is football with the religion that is religion, the mix can be dangerously flammable,” he writes.

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Original source.