U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said late today (May 3, 2018) that the chamber's chaplain will remain in his position after he unexpectedly asked Rev. Patrick Conroy to resign two weeks ago, outraging some lawmakers and the Jesuit priest himself, according to the AOL website.
Conroy released a letter today rescinding his abrupt resignation which Ryan -- a Catholic and the top Republican in the House -- said he had accepted. Conroy's last day had been scheduled for May 24.
"My original decision was made in what I believed to be the best interest of this institution," Ryan said in a statement.
Democrats said Conroy's ouster was in fact due to a prayer Conroy led that was critical of the tax overhaul Republicans passed at the end of last year without any support from the Democratic party.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Today Being Observed as National Day of Prayer; Pres.Trump to Mark It with White House Service
Today (May 3, 2018) is a federally proclaimed national day of prayer, which President Trump will mark with a prayer service at the White House, according to the Washington Post website.
Such days of prayer have a long history in the U.S., beginning in Colonial America. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln declared days of prayer.
In 1952, Harry Truman signed into law the national day of prayer -- to be observed on the first Thursday in May -- that we are observing today. Some Americans object to the U.S. government holding a national day of prayer each year, because they believe it violates America's separation of church and state.
Presidents and governors have also proclaimed days of prayer for natural disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey last summer, and for human-created tragedies such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Such days of prayer have a long history in the U.S., beginning in Colonial America. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln declared days of prayer.
In 1952, Harry Truman signed into law the national day of prayer -- to be observed on the first Thursday in May -- that we are observing today. Some Americans object to the U.S. government holding a national day of prayer each year, because they believe it violates America's separation of church and state.
Presidents and governors have also proclaimed days of prayer for natural disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey last summer, and for human-created tragedies such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Two Jewish Cemeteries in Seattle Are Desecrated; Being Used by Homeless,Drug Addicts,Prostitutes
The managers of two historic Jewish cemeteries in Seattle, Washington are asking for the city's help in preventing desecration and vandalism at the sites, the Israel National News website reports today (May 2, 2018).
The Jewish community says groups of homeless people -- many of them drug addicts -- have set up camp at the cemeteries.
Ari Hoffman, a vice president of Seattle Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath Synagogue and a member of its cemetery committee, said the headstones have been defaced, and that needles and other discarded drug paraphernalia have been found on the tombstones. He also said that prostitutes use the cemetery for their clients.
Across the street, the Historic Sephardic Jewish Cemetery is experiencing similar vandalism.
The Jewish community says groups of homeless people -- many of them drug addicts -- have set up camp at the cemeteries.
Ari Hoffman, a vice president of Seattle Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath Synagogue and a member of its cemetery committee, said the headstones have been defaced, and that needles and other discarded drug paraphernalia have been found on the tombstones. He also said that prostitutes use the cemetery for their clients.
Across the street, the Historic Sephardic Jewish Cemetery is experiencing similar vandalism.
Abbas: Holocaust Was Fault of Jews Themselves; Says Jews' Money Practices Responsible,Not Rel.
In a bitter speech against Jews broadcast on Palestinian TV on April 30, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas delivered what he called a "history lesson" in which he claimed that the Holocaust was the fault of the Jews themselves, the Washington Post website reports today (May 2, 2018).
During his 90-minute remarks to the Palestinian lawmakers in Ramallah, Abbas said European Jews' "social function" -- specifically "usury and banking and such" -- was the basis for animosity toward them and led to their mass murder. Abbas claimed his views were supported by Jewish authors, whose books conclude "that animosity toward Jews was not because of their religion, but because of their social activities."
The "history lesson" prompted backlash in and outside of Israel. "With utmost ignorance and brazen gall, he claimed that European Jews were persecuted and murdered not because they were Jews, but because they gave loans with interest," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted.
Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement that Abbas's "latest diatribe reflects once again the depth and persistency of the anti-Semitic attitudes he harbors."
During his 90-minute remarks to the Palestinian lawmakers in Ramallah, Abbas said European Jews' "social function" -- specifically "usury and banking and such" -- was the basis for animosity toward them and led to their mass murder. Abbas claimed his views were supported by Jewish authors, whose books conclude "that animosity toward Jews was not because of their religion, but because of their social activities."
The "history lesson" prompted backlash in and outside of Israel. "With utmost ignorance and brazen gall, he claimed that European Jews were persecuted and murdered not because they were Jews, but because they gave loans with interest," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted.
Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement that Abbas's "latest diatribe reflects once again the depth and persistency of the anti-Semitic attitudes he harbors."
Russian Orth.Head:Only Rel. Can End Terrorism; States Rel. Can Disarm Rel. Radicalism,Terrorism
According to the head of the Russian Orthodox Christian Church, only religion can stop terrorism, the Crux website reports today (May 2, 2018).
"I do not see any other grounds for argument capable of disarming the ideological basis of radicalism and terrorism, other than a religion one," Patriarch Kirill said.
He also called on believers to turn the tables on those who use religious teachings to incite violence.
"If radicals appeal to religious truths and use religious ideas for motivating extremist actions, then only religion itself can overturn all of this," he insisted.
"I do not see any other grounds for argument capable of disarming the ideological basis of radicalism and terrorism, other than a religion one," Patriarch Kirill said.
He also called on believers to turn the tables on those who use religious teachings to incite violence.
"If radicals appeal to religious truths and use religious ideas for motivating extremist actions, then only religion itself can overturn all of this," he insisted.
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
US May Create 6th Mil.Branch Called Space Force; Would Join 5 Longterm Branches of Armed Forces
President Donald Trump today (May 1, 2018) told the West Point Black Knights football team his administration is "seriously thinking" of creating a sixth military branch called the "Space Force," according to the Free Beacon website.
Trump invited the football team to the White House to present the players and coach with the coveted Commander-in-Chief trophy after they defeated both Air Force and Navy last season.
Trump told the cadets the Space Force would join the five current branches of the U.S. Armed Forces: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
"We are getting very big in space, both militarily and for other reasons, and we are seriously thinking of the Space Force," Trump said.
Trump invited the football team to the White House to present the players and coach with the coveted Commander-in-Chief trophy after they defeated both Air Force and Navy last season.
Trump told the cadets the Space Force would join the five current branches of the U.S. Armed Forces: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
"We are getting very big in space, both militarily and for other reasons, and we are seriously thinking of the Space Force," Trump said.
US Admits Few Central American Asylum Seekers; Lets in 8 Members of Caravan from Mexico Border
U.S. border inspectors allowed some of the Central American asylum seekers to enter the country for processing today (May 1, 2018), ending a brief impasse over lack of space, according to the Newsmax website.
But the migrants who crossed Mexico in a caravan may face a long legal path.
Caravan organizers said eight members of the group, criticized by President Donald Trump that traveled from southern Mexico to the border city of Tijuana, were allowed in to be interviewed by asylum officers, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not provide a number.
About 140 others were still waiting in Mexico to turn themselves in at San Diego's San Ysidro border crossing, the nation's busiest, said Alex Mensing, project organizer for Pueblo Sin Fronteras, which is leading the caravan.
But the migrants who crossed Mexico in a caravan may face a long legal path.
Caravan organizers said eight members of the group, criticized by President Donald Trump that traveled from southern Mexico to the border city of Tijuana, were allowed in to be interviewed by asylum officers, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not provide a number.
About 140 others were still waiting in Mexico to turn themselves in at San Diego's San Ysidro border crossing, the nation's busiest, said Alex Mensing, project organizer for Pueblo Sin Fronteras, which is leading the caravan.
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