John Roberts Quietly Bows to Gay Marriage Ruling

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Chief Justice John Roberts, who just two years ago blasted the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage as a usurpation of democratic governance, seems to have embraced the Court’s marriage equality holding in significant part.

The dissenters in contentious 5-4 decisions often try to keep such cases at the margins of the Court’s jurisprudence. They avoid reliance on the ruling’s holdings and principles, so as to diminish its influence on the Court’s thinking.

Roberts is not following this practice with respect to the Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which declared a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. Though he wrote a vigorous dissent from the ruling, he joined two decisions this term relying (in part or in whole) on its reasoning, suggesting a shift in his thinking about the case.

The strongest signal of this shift came in the Court’s per curiam decision in Pavan v. Smith, an Arkansas case involving the state’s refusal to print the name of a non-biological LGBT parent on a birth certificate. The justices summarily reversed the Arkansas Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the practice, citing “Obergefell’s commitment to provide same-sex couples ‘the constellation of benefits that the States have linked to marriage.’” (Read more from “John Roberts Quietly Bows to Gay Marriage Ruling” HERE)

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The Key Difference Between Christianity and Islam

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The key difference between Christianity and Islam is the difference between Jesus and Muhammad. Jesus was a spiritual leader who laid down His life to save the world. Muhammad was a spiritual leader, who became a political leader, then a violent military leader. Jesus accomplished His mission by dying on the cross. Muhammad accomplished his mission (at least largely) by ruling by the sword.

There are, of course, great similarities between the world’s two largest religions. Both point to a holy book, allegedly inspired by God, for faith and practice. Both call for high moral standards and serious personal commitment. Both share common traditions, since Muhammad learned from Jews as well as Christians. And both have a vision to spread their faith around the world.

But this is where the two faiths diverge. One follows the example of a crucified and risen Savior. The other follows the example of a prophet and military leader.

Cross vs. Sword

The biblical verses of violence (as in “Kill the Canaanites”) were limited to a specific place and time. No such commands are found on Jesus’ lips. The Quranic verses of violence (as in “Kill the unbelievers wherever you find them”) do not have such obvious limitations. Many Quranic interpreters and Islamic jurists claim that those verses cannot be applied indiscriminately today. But others differ. And they proudly cite them in their jihadi manuals.

Again, the difference is that of the cross versus the sword. That’s why Jesus and His followers never established the death penalty for leaving the faith. Muhammad established it once he assumed military dominance. And the death penalty for apostasy from Islam remains in force in a number of Islamic countries today.

Muhammad beheaded some of his enemies. Jesus forbade His followers from taking up the sword in His defense. The differences are glaring and clear.

Just compare the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels with those of Muhammad in the Hadith. Jesus never calls for violent acts against enemies of the faith. Muhammad often does. That’s why there’s no gospel (or apostolic) equivalent to the lengthy collection of Muhammad’s military raids.

Exception vs. Expression

The most tolerant expressions of Islam are found when: 1) Muslims are the minority in a country, as in America; or 2) the Muslim-dominated country is quite secular, as in Indonesia. In strictly observant Muslim countries, there is limited tolerance for non-Muslims.

If you don’t believe me, try setting up a public Christian mission to Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan or Iran. Tell me how long it lasts.

I do commend those Muslims who call for a more tolerant expression of their faith. They abhor the terrorism carried out in the name of their religion. But if they’re honest, they will have to admit that violent Islam has a long and rich history.

To quote the noted Catholic scholar of Islam Samir Kahlil Samir,

I speak about the violence expressed in the Qur’ān and practiced in Muhammad’s life in order to address the idea, widespread in the West, that the violence we see today is a deformation of Islam. We must honestly admit that there are two readings of the Qur’ān and the sunna (Islamic traditions connected to Muhammad): one that opts for the verses that encourage tolerance toward other believers, and one that prefers the verses that encourage conflict. Both readings are legitimate.

Acts of violence carried out to advance the Christian faith are the extreme exception to the rule. Acts of violence carried out to advance the Islamic faith are all too common.

Liberation vs. Subjugation

When it comes to freedom of religion, a country like America, drawing on Judeo-Christian principles, has allowed this liberty from its founding. And in a country like England, which also has a rich Christian history (despite its current backslidden state), Muslims can practice their religion freely. They can even proselytize non-Muslims.If Muslims became the majority religion in England, it would be a different story. Non-Muslims would become second-class citizens. They would have limited freedoms (like Christians in Pakistan), unless they converted to Islam.

It is true that both faiths seek to spread their message by disseminating information. Both faiths point to the sublime message of their founders. But the message of Jesus leads to liberation while the message of Muhammad leads to subjugation.

Again, I know there are honorable Muslims who seek to reform their faith. Some of them believe they are being true to the real spirit of their faith.

But there’s a reason that, in general, true Christians are persecuted by true Muslims rather than true Muslims persecuted by true Christians. It’s the difference between the cross and the sword. (For more from the author of “The Key Difference Between Christianity and Islam” please click HERE)

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Conspiracy Theory Confirmed: Federal Reserve Exposed Working as Arm of US Intelligence

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While some may have called it a conspiracy theory at one point, a new report is shedding light on the United States Intelligence services’ cozy relationship with the nation’s central banking structure, and how they collaborate to spy on foreign banks.

Confidential accounts within the Federal Reserve have been used by the U.S. Treasury and other departments “several times a year to analyze the asset holdings of the central banks of Russia, China, Iraq, Turkey, Yemen, Libya and others,” according to a report from Reuters that cites more than a dozen current and former senior U.S. officials.

The U.S. central bank keeps a tight lid on information contained in these accounts. But according to the officials interviewed by Reuters, U.S. authorities regularly use a ‘need to know’ confidentiality exception in the Fed’s service contracts with foreign central banks.

The report claimed that the exception was used by U.S. federal officials “to glean information about the movement of funds in and out of the accounts.” That information was then used to help the U.S. “monitor economic sanctions, fight terror financing and money laundering, or get a fuller picture of market hot spots around the world.”

The Federal Reserve was established in 1913, and the current headquarters in New York houses around $3.3 trillion in assets from around 250 foreign central banks—which adds up to about half of the world’s dollar reserves.

In all, the people interviewed by Reuters identified seven instances in the last 15 years in which the accounts gave U.S. authorities insights into the actions of foreign counterparts or market movements, at times leading to a specific U.S. response.

The report cited a case from March 2014, in which U.S. intelligence used the Federal Reserve loophole to monitor Russia after its invasion of Crimea. As a result, when the Obama administration responded by placing economic sanctions on Russia, and the foreign holdings at the New York Fed dropped by $115 billion, the U.S. automatically knew that Russia’s central bank had pulled its funds.

The Federal Reserve acknowledged the practice of disclosing account intelligence, but attempted to downplay it, by claiming it was only used on “rare occasions.”

“While our account agreement does provide for the sharing of information with the U.S. government in limited circumstances, we require a clearly demonstrated need for the information and a commitment that the information will be treated confidentially,” a New York Fed spokeswoman told Reuters. “This exception has been used on rare occasions and on a limited basis for such issues as compliance with sanctions requirements and anti-money laundering principles.”

Reuters noted that the requests from information through the Federal Reserve “became more frequent after the passage of the 2001 U.S. Patriot Act, mostly from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, a Treasury division enforcing sanctions and targeting terrorist financing, money laundering, and weapons and drugs trafficking.”

The Free Thought Project has reported on multiple instances of the failure of the Federal Reserve. In June 2016, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan even warned that the world is in “the worst period” he has ever seen.

“If we went back on the gold standard and we adhered to the actual structure of the gold standard as it exited prior to 1913, we’d be fine,” Greenspan said. “Remember that the period 1870 to 1913 was one of the most aggressive periods economically that we’ve had in the United States, and that was a golden period of the gold standard. I’m known as a gold bug and everyone laughs at me, but why do central banks own gold now?”

Even Donald Trump called for an audit of the Federal Reserve. However, like most of his promises, this one will most likely be broken too — just as Ron Paul predicted last year.

There have also been multiple versions of legislation seeking to “Audit The Fed,” in order to gain insight into how the world’s most powerful financial institution conducts its business. The latest version was sponsored by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, and was approved by the Republican-controlled Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in March.

While the report does serve as a reminder of the capabilities of U.S. intelligence, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Countries such as Iraq, Libya and Syria have all felt the wrath of the United States after their respective leaders chose to drop the U.S. dollar—and each invasion should serve as a reminder of the power of coercion between the government and the media to push an agenda that furthers the U.S. central banking system. (For more from the author of “Conspiracy Theory Confirmed: Federal Reserve Exposed Working as Arm of US Intelligence” please click HERE)

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New Georgetown Dean Is an Avowed Supporter of Hezbollah

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Georgetown University has promoted an avowed supporter of the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hezbollah as its newest academic chair.

On September 1, Ahmad S. Dallal will become the dean of Georgetown University in Qatar, a school that is funded with support from its host country. Dallal previously served as the chair of Georgetown’s Islamic Studies department at its Washington, D.C. campus, which is a known cesspool of jihadi sympathizers. Georgetown Qatar is directly affiliated with the main campus, and considered an “additional location for the University in Washington, D.C.”

Dallal, like too many of his colleagues in academia, holds some truly fringe beliefs.

First and foremost, he is an open supporter of the Hezbollah terrorist group. He signed a 2006 petition declaring his “conscious support for the Lebanese national resistance [Hezbollah] as it wages a war” against Israel, adding that it is “a war to safeguard the dignity of the Lebanese and Arab people.” The statement declared Hezbollah’s murderous campaign a “heroic operation.”

In his previous position as provost of American University of Beirut, Dallal slammed one of his colleagues for collaborating with Israeli scholars, declaring that the school would boycott the Jewish state.

“I take this opportunity to remind all members of our community that, as an institution of higher learning with an historic presence in Lebanon and the Middle East,” Dallal said in an open letter, “AUB is deeply committed to upholding the essential values of academic freedom, and will do so within the bounds of Lebanese law, which strictly prohibits collaboration with Israeli institutions.”

Amid Israel’s 2014 war against the U.S.-designated Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Dallal pledged his support for a group called “The Georgetown Faculty for Gaza,” which essentially voiced a preference for Hamas against Israel. He wrote in support of the jihadi group: “All the [Hamas] rockets together have the destructive power of one load of an F-16 … Nothing justifies killing on this scale.” Moreover, during the Gaza war, Dallal called for a boycott of the State of Israel.

He also served as an expert witness for Abdel Jabber Hamdan, a man charged with funneling money to Hamas through the Holy Land Foundation. Hamdan was later ordered deported after a judge ruled that he solicited funds for the terrorist organization.

In 2004, Dallal signed a petition calling upon a prominent university to let Muslim Brotherhood-connected Tariq Ramadan teach there. Ramadan was back in the news last week after a video emerged of him openly advocating for female genital mutilation.

In 2002, Dallal signed an open letter arguing that Israel would exploit a war in Iraq to conduct “ethnic cleansing” against Palestinians.

Following the 9/11 attacks, Dallal blamed America for apparently bringing the al-Qaida terror upon itself. “The disastrous effects of an American foreign policy that has supported many twisted dictatorships in the Muslim world and helped thwart democratic reforms,” he wrote.

The incoming Georgetown Qatar dean defended a Georgetown University Press Arab studies textbook that removed Israel from most of its Middle East maps. After students started to complain about the textbook’s anti-Israel bias, Dallal responded: “I can’t possibly imagine what anyone would object to in this book.”

So there you have it: An avowed supporter of two terrorist organizations, who wants to boycott the world’s only Jewish state, and blames America for 9/11, will soon be a dean at Georgetown University Qatar.

Georgetown University Qatar did not respond to a request for comment on Dallal’s support for Hezbollah. (For more from the author of “New Georgetown Dean Is an Avowed Supporter of Hezbollah” please click HERE)

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Prostitutes Panicking Over Loss of Obamacare Coverage, Lobby Senate

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Adding a voice to the chorus against the Republican-led American Health Care Act is a group not usually heard on protest frontlines: prostitutes.

Licensed prostitutes in Nevada, working in legal brothels, are organizing against legislation they say will devastate them, other prostitutes across the nation and their families.

With Obamacare (Affordable Care Act), now under threat of being repealed and replaced, “thousands of prostitutes nationwide were, for the first time, able to obtain affordable health care insurance for themselves and their families,” said a press release issued Thursday.

So, dubbing itself “Hookers for Health Care,” this group plans to go “on a political offensive … lobbying politicians, protesting in the streets, and waging battle on social media to stop the Republican effort.” (Read more from “Prostitutes Panicking Over Loss of Obamacare Coverage, Lobby Senate” HERE)

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Civility? The BRAZEN Hypocrisy of Sally ‘Killing Spree’ Kohn

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Old habits die hard. After calling for civility in political dialogue, it only took Sally Kohn two weeks to fall back into accusing Republicans of wanting to kill people and incite violence.

In a recent tweet, she insinuated that Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., is a serial murderer for trying to pass an Obamacare replacement plan.

Following that tweet, Kohn launched into a Twitter tirade against Dana Loesch Wednesday, accusing Loesch of attempting to incite violence. Loesch appeared in an NRA video displaying footage of violent Antifa riots and said that the only way to push back against the Left’s normalization of violence is to “fight back with the clenched fist of truth,” which Kohn construed to mean gun ownership. Twitchy reported the Twitter exchange.

The biggest takeaway from Kohn’s behavior is not how she twisted Loesch’s words. It’s Kohn’s rank hypocrisy.

Appearing on CNN with CRTV host Steve Deace after James T. Hodgkinson attempted to assassinate several members of Congress, Kohn and Deace agreed that the political dialogue in America has become too divisive and uncivil and that it has contributed to pushing people like Hodgkinson over the edge.

“When we are hostile, and aggressive, and uncivil, it actually encourages people to then repeat that in face-to-face communications and obviously in hand-to-hand communications as well in ways that are destructive,” Kohn said.

Deace made the point that people on the Left and on the Right can have passionate disagreements and arguments over ideas, but personal attacks cross a line. To which Kohn responded, “You’re exactly right, Steve, we can have heated conversations without attacking, demeaning, dehumanizing each other. We need to do that more.”

Two weeks later, Kohn failed to practice what she preached. Instead of debating the GOP’s ideas on health care reform, Kohn opted to accuse Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., of going on a “killing spree.” Instead of addressing how Antifa leftists openly embrace violence, Kohn wants to smear Dana Loesch and the NRA by claiming they’re “demonizing” protest as violence.

It’s difficult to take calls for civility from the Left seriously when progressives are such hypocrites. (For more from the author of “Civility? The BRAZEN Hypocrisy of Sally ‘Killing Spree’ Kohn” please click HERE)

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CNN’s Entire Russia Narrative Exposed as Fake News for Ratings

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CNN isn’t having a good week. First, three of their top reporters were fired for poor journalism covering a story where a Trump ally, Anthony Scaramucci, was accused of being under congressional investigation which was retracted. Then, Project Veritas leaked two conversations proving CNN’s accusations of President Donald Trump colluding with Russia were baseless and for ratings.

With this one-two punch on CNN’s admitted Russian hoax they are almost certainly feeling the blowback from this latest scandal; and, according to James O’Keefe, it’s just the start of more to come. Which could include more tapes from CNN or other networks/newspapers like the New York Times.

For months Trump has accused CNN of being fake news, even singling out their reporter Jim Acosta. Monday, Project Veritas released a video of CNN’s Supervising Producer James Bonnifield who proved it beyond a shadow of doubt.

Then followed up with a second leaked video of Van Jones calling the Russia story a “big nothing burger.”

The leaked tapes offer an inside glimpse into how CNN operates behind closed doors caring more about their ratings than the information they provide to their viewers.

In the words of Bonnifield, CNN’s Supervising Producer, “It’s a business.”

“All that nice cutesy little ethics that used to get talked about in journalism school, you’re just like, aww that’s adorable. That’s adorable it’s a business,” Bonniefield said.

Bonnifield also exposed that the stories about Russia were mostly “bullsh*t” and that they didn’t have anything concrete on allegations against Russia colluding with Trump. Which begs the question: Has CNN been making up “anonymous sources” to bring in ratings, betraying the American public?

The story earlier this month where CNN cited anonymous sources which stated that former FBI Director James Comey was going to “deny Trump’s claim that he assured him he was not the target of any investigation” seems to suggest just that. CNN was forced to retract that story after the opposite happened and Comey confirmed Trump’s story.

As journalist Glenn Greenwald of The Intercept points out, the media’s recklessness on Russia is an apparent consistent problem; CNN isn’t alone in that regard. Greenwald noted that a former story by the Washington Post which stated that “Russian hackers had penetrated the electric grid” was indeed false in every aspect.

“Literally every facet of that story turned out to be false. First, the utility company — which the Post had not bothered to contact — issued a denial, pointing out that malware was found on one laptop that was not connected either to the Vermont grid or the broader U.S. electricity grid,” Greenwald wrote.

In another example which has been thoroughly debunked, Greenwald highlights that Slate published a story about Trump and Russia, claiming that a secret server connected the Trump Organization with a Russian bank Alfa.

CNN urged their reporters – Thomas Frank, Eric Lichtblau, and Lex Harris to resign after the network was threatened with a $100 million libel suit. (For more from the author of “CNN’s Entire Russia Narrative Exposed as Fake News for Ratings” please click HERE)

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Colorado Baker: Death Threats and Hate for Refusing to Make Gay Wedding Cake

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The owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, [Jack] Phillips ignited a national debate after he refused to create a wedding cake for a gay couple in 2012. Since then, Phillips says he has lost a chunk of his business revenue, received death threats and been subjected to vile online reviews.

But that’s not the worst of it, Phillips told Fox News in an exclusive interview. For him, the most trying piece of the whole controversy is the hateful comments directed — even unintentionally — at his wife and daughter.

“In all of this, the threats against me or disparaging comments, the worst part is that I have to answer the phone so they’re not threatening my wife or my daughter when they pick it up,” Phillips said. “They don’t wait to see who’s on the phone. You pick up the phone, they’re already talking.”

Phillips added that he also tries to shield the other employees at the bakery from negative comments directed at him — at times becoming emotional as he spoke about his employees and family.

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether Phillips discriminated against the gay couple when he refused to bake them a wedding cake due to his religious beliefs. Phillips said he didn’t refuse the couple service and offered to sell them anything in the store. But when it came to actively participating in the couple’s wedding, that’s where Phillips drew the line. (Read more from “Colorado Baker: Death Threats and Hate for Refusing to Make Gay Wedding Cake” HERE)

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House Passes Kate’s Law, as Part of Illegal Immigrant Crackdown

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House Republicans took action Thursday to crack down on illegal immigrants and the cities that shelter them.

One bill passed by the House would deny federal grants to sanctuary cities and another, Kate’s Law, would increase the penalties for deported aliens who try to return to the United States.

Kate’s Law, which would increase the penalties for deported aliens who try to return to the United States and caught, passed with a vote of 257 to 157, with one Republican voting no and 24 Democrats voting yes.

Kate’s Law is named for Kate Steinle, a San Francisco woman killed by an illegal immigrant who was in the U.S. despite multiple deportations. The two-year anniversary of her death is on Saturday.

President Trump called the bill’s passage “good news” in a tweet, adding “House just passed #KatesLaw. Hopefully Senate will follow.”

(Read more from “House Passes Kate’s Law, as Part of Illegal Immigrant Crackdown” HERE)

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Trump Travel Ban Takes Effect to Minimal Disruption

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A scaled-down version of President Donald Trump’s travel ban took effect at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, with none of the dramatic scenes of protest and chaos that greeted the original version of Trump’s executive order five months ago.

The Departments of Homeland Security, State and Justice went ahead with the implementation after the Supreme Court partially restored the order earlier this week.

The new rules tighten visa policies affecting citizens from six majority Muslim nations: Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. People from those countries who need new visas will now have to prove a close family relationship or an existing relationship with an entity like a school or business in the United States.

Citizens of those countries who already have visas will be allowed into the U.S. as usual. (Read more from “Trump Travel Ban Takes Effect to Minimal Disruption” HERE)

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