Romney Raises $10.25 Million in a Single Day

CBS News reports that although he has not yet declared himself a presidential candidate, Mitt Romney raised $10.25 Million in a single day fundraising effort in Las Vegas. The article reports that Romney is tapping into Wall Street and Mormon donors. The question has been raised that if these individuals are essentially investing their money in Romney, where are they not investing their money? What other causes or business efforts if any are going unfunded?

Heaven is a "Fairy Story" says Stephen Hawking

CBS News reports that Physicist Stephen Hawking does not believe in an afterlife. According to their report, Hawking describes Heaven as a "fairy story" for people who are afraid of death.

To read the complete story, click here.

The Sovereign Citizen Movement

The Sovereign Citizen Movement is a group of Americans who feel that government is acting beyond its legitimate authority, and therefore they refuse to hold a Social Security card, pay taxes, or use a driver's license. They have reacted violently when confronted by police, and are therefore listed among the FBI's top domestic terror threats.

Click here to access the CBS News story on the Sovereign Citizen movement.

Imam's Call to Add Crescent Moon Symbol to Russian Emblem Met With Alarm

Fox News reports that Imam Talgat Tadzhuddin who heads the Central Spiritual Association of Muslims of Russia has called for a change to the Russian coat of arms. In a newspaper interview, the Imam suggested that one of the heads of the Russian double-headed eagle be topped with an Islamic crescent moon, while the other continue to be topped with a Russian Orthodox cross. The Imam notes that approximately 18% of the population of Russia is Muslim.

To read the full story, click here.

USCIRF Identifies World’s Worst Religious Freedom Violators

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released its annual report yesterday. For the first time, the report lists Egypt as a major violator of religious freedoms.

The report can be accessed at the link below.

USCIRF Report

Vietnam Arrests Pastor of Banned Mennonite Church

Officials in Vietnam have arrested a pastor of a banned Mennonite church on the charge of sowing dissent between the people and the government.

The story can be viewed at the following link:

Vietnam arrests pastor of banned Mennonite church

Catholic Religious Order Files for Chapter 11

AP news reports that a second Catholic religious order in the United States has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The AP new story can be viewed at the following link:

Catholic religious order files for Chapter 11

Church of England Offers Combined Wedding and Baptism of Children Service

Realizing that one of every five couples who marries in the church already have children, the Church of England is introducing what is being referred to as a "two-in-one" marriage and baptism ceremony in which a couple who already has children can marry, and have those children baptized into the Church of England at the same time.

These services are being touted as "Family-friendly weddings", and are seen as an attempt to make the church more relevant for the 21st century.

The joint ceremony will cost approximately 300 pounds ($500), which is about what the two ceremonies would cost seperately. Cost saving to the families would come in not having to plan multiple celebrations.

Read the ABC News report of this story by clicking here.

Read the ABC News blog of this story by clicking here.

Spanish-surnamed Yankee Doodle Dandy not a legitimate American?

Ruben Navarrette Jr., member of the San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board and national syndicated columnist, wrote an insightful commentary for CNN entitled, "I'm a Spanish-surnamed Yankee Doodle Dandy."

Navarrette states that he was born in the U.S., as were his parents, 3 of his grandparents, and a "handful" of his great-grandparents.

Because Navarrette identifies himself as a Mexican-American, he has received comments such as, "Why don't you try being a real American" from his readers.

He notes that he has friends who, although they do not use hyphens, call themselves Irish, Jewish, Italian, or German.

Navarrette is very articulate in describing that he is an American because of what he believes, including loving freedom and democracy, and believing that with sacred rights come equally sacred responsibilities to self, family, community and country.

This compelling article was met, however, with some rather disturbing comments posted to the story by readers (which are unfortunately no longer available online). The comments immediately bypassed his description of being American, or anything else he said, and immediately went after the issue of illegal-immigration.

This was a very clear example of how in the minds of some there can be no discussion of Hispanic in the U.S. without it being connected to a discussion of illegal-immigration. It actually seemed that for those posting the comments, that although some of Mr. Navarrette's family has been in the U.S. for 4 generations, and Navarrette himself has a clear understanding of what it means to be an American, he is not not legitimate, simply because he identifies himself as a Mexican-American.

To read the CNN commentary, click here.

Are America's Best Days Behind Us Or In Our Future?

A recent Rasmussen Reports poll found that 44% of likely voters felt that the nation's best days were in the past, while 38% felt that America's best days were yet to come.

The more startling difference comes when looking at the difference of opinion among Democrats and Republicans.

Among Democrats 54% believe that the nation's best days are yet to come.

Among Republicans 61% believe that America's best days are in the past.

One is left to wonder how much the rhetoric of conservative pundits and talk show commentators may be affecting Republican opinions on this question.

To read the Rasmussen Reports story, click here.