Merry Christmas Message from #POPEFRANCIS

A Merry and Blessed Christmas

Remember the birth of the King of King

and Lord of Lords - Jesus Christ

#PJNET #TCOT #Christians “pray outdoors in spite of the cold air and coming of #Christmas”

Egypt: DECEMBER 24, 2014 9:36 AM BY RAYMOND IBRAHIM

“The Copts of Naga’a Rizq, Tahta, had to pray outdoors in spite of the cold air and the coming of Christmas, as the police were unable to protect them from Islamists’ attacks.”

Such was the message Dr. Naguib Ghobrail, President of the Egyptian Union for Human Rights,shared on December 14 with the Minister of Interior General Mohamed Ibrahim, in an effort to alert him to the persecution of the region’s Christians, who are restricted from church worship.

He added that “the population of Naga’a Rizq Shenuda, which belongs to the Tahta Police Precinct in the Sohag Security Directorate, had made a request for the building of a church back in 2009. The construction started but was stopped by state security because of violence from radical Islamists. As a result, villagers were forced to pray  in home churches.”

http://jihadwatch.org/

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#JPNET #TCOT #CCOT Faithful flock to Bethlehem for Christmas

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(AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed). A Palestinian dressed as Santa Claus holds balloons at Manger Square, outside the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed by Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Christ...

 

(AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed). Christian pilgrims from Nigeria pray inside the Grotto of the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed by Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Christmas Eve Wednesday, D...

 

(AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed). Christian pilgrims from Nigeria pray inside the Grotto of the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed by Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Christmas Eve Wednesday, D...

 

(AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed). Christian pilgrims pray inside the Grotto of the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed by Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Christmas Eve Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2014.

 

(AP Photo)

By DANIEL ESTRIN
Associated Press

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) - Thousands of Christian pilgrims on Wednesday flocked to the biblical town of Bethlehem for Christmas Eve celebrations at the traditional birthplace of Jesus, lifting spirits in the area after a year of conflict and failed peace efforts.

On a crisp, sunny day revelers crowded into Manger Square, stopping in restaurants and admiring the town's Christmas tree. Scout troops playing bagpipes, horns and drums entertained the visitors, while merchants hawked Santa hats and special sesame sweets for the holiday.

"My son and I and my husband came for Christmas to see, you know, be right here where it all took place," said Irene Adkins, 63, from Lorain, Ohio, sitting in a Bethlehem visitor's center. "It feels wonderful."

The celebrations brought a boost of holiday cheer to the area after a difficult year. Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed last spring, and Israel battled Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip during a 50-day war over the summer.

http://goo.gl/CDDi5j

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Islamic Terrorists Slaughter 37 Iraqi Christians on Christmas Day

Posted by Jim Hoft on Wednesday, December 25, 2013, 7:58 AM

A man looks at the site of bomb attack at a marketplace in Baghdad’s Doura District December 25 2013. At least 20 people were killed in bomb attacks in Christian areas of Baghdad on Wednesday, including a car bomb that exploded near a church after a Christmas service, police and medics said. Two bombs also went off in a crowded market in a separate, mostly Christian area in Doura, killing another six people and wounding 14, police and medics said. (REUTERS/Ahmed Malik)

Islamic terrorists slaughtered 37 Iraqi Christians in two different attacks today in Baghdad. One car bomb went off during Christmas services in the Dora neighborhood.
The AP reported:

Militants in Iraq targeted Christians in two separate bomb attacks in Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 37 people, officials said.

In one attack, a car bomb went off near a church during Christmas Mass in the capital’s southern Dora neighborhood, killing at least 26 people and wounding 38, a police officer said.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/12/islamic-terrorists-slaughter-37-iraqi-christians-on-christmas-day/ 

Merry Christmas to one and All.

As you sit there and digest this post and what it means to you and yours, remember that if I were in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran or other parts of the Middle to far East my life would be in danger if knowledge of posting these images became know.

These countries have NO Freedom of Religion and less of the other freedoms we take for granted here in the United States.

Count your blessing, hold youf Family close, go to Church and 

Thank God for this Christmas and the

United States of America.

U.S. Embassy in Kabul hit on Christmas Day

(Photo: Ahmad Nazar, AP)

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KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in Kabul was hit by indirect fire before dawn on Christmas Day but no Americans were hurt, as attacks elsewhere in Afghanistan killed at least six people Wednesday, officials said.

Two rounds struck the sprawling embassy compound but it was not immediately clear which part of the complex, and a U.S. Embassy official said the incident was under investion.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/12/25/us-embassy-kabul-afghanistan/4198653/

Egypt declares Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group

Published December 25, 2013

Associated Press

CAIRO –  Egypt's military-backed interim government on Wednesday declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group, criminalizing all its activities, its financing and even membership to the group from which the country's ousted president hails.

The announcement is a dramatic escalation of the fight between the government and group, which has waged near-daily protests since the July 3 popularly backed military coup that toppled President Mohammed Morsi.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/12/25/egypt-declares-muslim-brotherhood-terrorist-group/

Churches use social media to spread Christmas gospel

Social media is becoming a bigger part of churches, especially during the holidays.  More than 500 churches will stream Christmas sermons this year, compared to only a few six years ago, according to the Social Media Church.

“The next generation of millennials and beyond are really embracing technology differently,” said Kenny Jahng, the media and innovation pastor at New Jersey-based Liquid Church. “If you have a digitally native culture, shouldn’t we have a digitally native church?”

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/12/20/churches-use-social-media-to-spread-christmas-gospel/?intcmp=obnetwork

A Festivus for the Rest of Us - VERDICT

Fans of the sitcom Seinfeld will recall that Frank Costanza (memorably portrayed by Jerry Stiller) invented a spartan holiday called Festivus, commemorated each December 23 with a bare aluminum pole, “feats of strength” and the “airing of grievances.” - See more at: 

http://verdict.justia.com/2013/12/18/festivus-rest-us#sthash.x9ql2dlx.dpuf

Happy Holidays Chicago

Chicago Mayor's Office

https://plus.google.com/+chicagosmayor/posts?partnerid=ogpy0

Shared publicly  -  10:06 AM

 #HOLIDIVVY

Happy #HOLIDIVVY, Chicago! Introducing HOLIDIVVY, the fully reflective candy cane bike. Find the bike and post a photo online with the hashtag #HOLIDIVVY, and you could win a Divvy beanie or a gift certificate for an Annual Membership.The bike will be out from now until New Year's Day. More: http://bit.ly/JmXT5R

Air Force Base Takes Down Nativity Scene Following Complaint

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (CBS Charlotte/AP) — Officials at Shaw Air Force Base are trying to determine what to do about aholiday display after a Nativity scene was taken down last week.

Air Force spokeswoman Lt. Keavy Rake said Tuesday a Nativity display was set up Friday by a group of volunteers from the base chapel at a small lake on the installation. The site was near where a tree lighting ceremony was scheduled Friday evening.

http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2013/12/10/air-force-base-takes-down-nativity-scene-following-complaint/