Raven Symone Not Convinced Bill Cosby Is Guilty After Supporter Jill Scott Admits She’s ‘Hurt, Disgusted’ by Mentor’s Admission That He Drugged Women

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Raven Symone Not Convinced Bill Cosby Is Guilty After Supporter Jill Scott Admits She’s ‘Hurt, Disgusted’ by Mentor’s Admission That He Drugged Women

bill cosby Reuters/Eric Thayer

Christian Post Report – Actor Bill Cosby attends the American Comedy Awards in New York April 26, 2014.

Raven Symone, the actress who began her career as a child star on “The Cosby Show,” said publicly that she’s not convinced Bill Cosby is guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting women, despite the release of a 2005 court deposition on Monday in which the actor admitted to giving sedatives to at least one woman he wanted to have sex with.

“I don’t really like to talk about it that much because he’s the reason I’m on this panel in the first place. He gave me my first job,” Raven-Symoné, the 29-year-old co-host of “The View,” said. “But at the same time, you need the proof, and then I’ll be able to give my judgment here or there. And now there are real facts. More people can come up.”

Cosby, the 77-year-old comedian who became a popular TV dad in the 1980s and 1990s on the family sitcom “The Cosby Show,” has been the subject of media scrutiny since late 2014 when close to two dozen women accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting them. On Monday, The Associated Press obtained a 2005 court document where Cosby admitted to purchasing the sedative Quaaludes with the intention of drugging a former Temple University employee.

When guest-host of “The View” actress Candace Cameron Bure said Cosby’s deposition proved that he was “guilty, guilty guilty,” Symoné questioned, “But guilty of what?”

The AP reports that the case that Andrea Constand brought against the comedian was settled for an undisclosed amount in 2006. Still, the actual 2005 deposition documented Cosby admitting to purchasing drugs with the intention of giving them to women.

“When you got the Quaaludes, was it in your mind that you were going to use these Quaaludes for young women that you wanted to have sex with?” Constand’s lawyer, Dolores M. Troiani, questioned Cosby.

Cosby simply responded, “Yes.”

When the plaintiff’s lawyer asked if Cosby gave the women Quaaludes “without their knowledge,” Cosby’s lawyer interupted which caused the two to argue. Cosby, however, did admit to giving drugs to another unnamed witness before having sexual relations with the young woman who was not present at the deposition.

“I meet Ms [Redacted] in Las Vegas,” Cosby’s statement from the deposition reads. “She meets me back stage. I give her Quaaludes. We then have sex.”

After the news of the deopsition was released Monday night, Grammy award winning singer Jill Scott said she was disgusted after previously showing public support for her mentor, Bill Cosby.

Scott, the 43-year-old “Get On Up” actress, was presented with an honorary Temple University doctorate degree by Cosby in 2014, but admitted she was hurt by the recent reports that have surfaced.

“About Bill Cosby. Sadly, his own testimony offers PROOF of terrible deeds, which is ALL I have ever required to believe the accusations,” Scott tweeted on Monday.

“Proof will always matter more than public opinion. The sworn testimony is proof,” she added. “Completely disgusted. I stood by a man I respected and loved. I was wrong. It HURTS!!!”

The comments come months after Scott took to Twitter to defend Cosby.

“If this is true, he’ll face his due just like everyone,” she responded to fans in a tweet last year. “I’m respecting a man who has done more for the image of brown people than almost anyone EVER. From Fat Albert to the Huxtables.”

Source : Christian Post

‘Duck Dynasty’ Starlet Sadie Robertson Says New Rain Boots Line Will Help Combat Child Poverty

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‘Duck Dynasty’ Starlet Sadie Robertson Says New Rain Boots Line Will Help Combat Child Poverty

Sadie (Photo: Instagram/@legitsadierob)

Christian Post Report – “Duck Dynasty” star Sadie Robertson is launching her very own rain boot line with rain boot company Roma, in a bid to help combat child poverty.

“Duck Dynasty” star Sadie Robertson said recently that she feels “honored” to be launching her very own rain boot line with Roma, a Dallas-based “socially conscious ‘buy one give one’ boot company that combines fashion with philanthropy to to help impoverished children around the world.”

The 18-year-old reality TV star, who launched her line of “Live Original” prom dresses with fashion designer Sherri Hill back in 2014, is dabbling in fashion again but this time she’s putting her name on a line of rain boots that will be available for purchase in the fall. And for every pair of rain boots sold, a new pair will be donated to a child in need, the company’s website states.

“Can’t wait for my new rain boot line with Roma to hit stores this fall! For each pair bought a child in poverty will get a pair. We are going to give poverty the boot. So honored to be apart of a great way to give back. #givepovertytheboot,” Robertson wrote in an Instagram post shared with her 2 million followers last week.

One in five American children (an estimated 16 million children) were living below the federal poverty line in 2011, according to 2012 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The former “Dancing With The Stars” contestant has become somewhat of a teen idol in recent years since rising to stardom in 2012 via her family’s hit A&E reality show. She is often praised for her modest approach to fashion and also for openly proclaiming her Christian faith.

“My family would not be where we are without our faith,” she said last year during her stint on season 19 “DWTS.” “That’s what carried us this whole way. You know, we put our faith in God and we like to share that with everybody.”

In April, fans applauded Robertson after she appeared make-up free in an online YouTube video which was designed to help young girls overcome body image issues by embracing their flaws and honoring God. The 7-minute clip instantly went viral and the A&E star appeared on “Good Morning America” to explain the inspiration behind it.

“For girls, no matter who you are or what position you’re in, everybody struggles with insecurities and everybody kinda compares themselves to somebody else, whether they want to admit it or not,” Robertson said.

“I just wanted people to know that no matter who you are, you can’t reach it by comparing yourself to other humans. And for me, I found that going through God was the best way that I could do it.”

Source : Christian Post

TIME Columnist Suggests Ending Tax Exempt Status for Churches

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TIME Columnist Suggests Ending Tax Exempt Status for Churches

In the aftermath of a Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage nationwide, TIME Magazine published a piece by columnist Mark Oppenheimer recommending that tax exempt status for churches and religious institutions should be put to an end.

“Rather than try to rescue tax-exempt status for organizations that dissent from settled public policy on matters of race or sexuality, we need to take a more radical step. It’s time to abolish, or greatly diminish, their tax-exempt statuses,” Oppenheimer wrote.

According to Oppenheimer, the IRS should not have to decide which institutions are religious in nature. He also argued that religious charities that help those in poverty would be unnecessary because the government would have the money to provide for the needy.

He wrote, “Defenders of tax exemptions and deductions argue that if we got rid of them charitable giving would drop. It surely would, although how much, we can’t say. But of course government revenue would go up, and that money could be used to, say, house the homeless and feed the hungry. We’d have fewer church soup kitchens — but countries that truly care about poverty don’t rely on churches to run soup kitchens.”

Oppenheimer said that the Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling could very well spark a reexamination of tax exemptions for churches, and when it happens, “it will be long overdue.”

YouTube Removes ‘Audacity’ Trailer

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YouTube Removes ‘Audacity’ Trailer

The trailer for “Audacity,” a film addressing homosexuality by Evangelist Ray Comfort, has been removed from YouTube. The Blaze reports that the video site removed the trailer after it had been viewed 130,000 times.

In place of the trailer, a message appears on YouTube that reads, “This video has been removed as a violation of YouTube’s policy against spam, scams, and commercially deceptive content.”

Comfort, who is famous for sharing scripture with strangers on the street, believes that the trailer was taken down because it suggests that no one is born a homosexual.

He said, “The foundation for the gay argument is that homosexuals (like people of color) are born that way, and like someone’s race, should never be discriminated against. The trailer shows a number of people changing their minds about homosexuals being born that way because I asked them two simple questions. It’s pretty unnerving for the ‘I can’t help being gay argument,’ and so they decided to censor us. Or to put it another way, they discriminated against us because of our religion.”

In a statement, YouTube said, “While we don’t comment on individual videos, YouTube does have strict spam and metadata policies. If a video is flagged by our community that violates these policies it is removed.”

But comfort argues that the “Audacity” trailer did not violate any policies at all.

“Watch the two-minute trailer and see if you can find spam, a scam or anything commercially deceptive,” he said. “All we want is to be treated fairly.”

The trailer can still be viewed at GodTube.com. “Audacity” is available to download here.

Christians Launch ‘Sin-Free’ Facebook Alternative

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Christians Launch ‘Sin-Free’ Facebook Alternative

Brazilian Evangelical Christians have launched a new site that intends to be a “sin-free” alternative to Facebook. The site, called “Facegloria,” attracted over 100,000 users in its first month of operation.

The Christian Post reports that Facegloria will not allow curse words, as well as about 600 other banned words. Violent content is prohibited, in addition to sexual content, whether gay or straight.

Web designer Atilla Barros said, “On Facebook there is a lot of violence and pornography, so (we) thought we’d found a network where we could talk about God, love and share your word.”

Barros also said that the company aims to be “morally and technically better than Facebook. We want all Brazilian Evangelicals to shift to Facegloria.”

The creators of Facegloria hope to see 10 million users on the site in the next two years.

Facegloria is a social media site similar to Facebook, but offers Christian differences, including an “Amen” button instead of “Like.”

Suicide Bomber Kills 6 in Nigeria Church Attack

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Suicide Bomber Kills 6 in Nigeria Church Attack

Six people were killed Sunday (July 5) when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb at a church in northeastern Nigeria. Reuters reports the attack occurred in Potiskum, and was preceded in the week by numerous Boko Haram attacks that resulted in over 200 deaths.

According to Al Jazeera, the suicide bombing occurred at Redeemed Christian Church of God. The attacker entered the church disguised as a worshipper and detonated the explosives strapped to his body, killing himself, four worshippers and the pastor.

Witness Garba Manu said, “I saw him walked into the church and he didn’t raise any suspicion.”

Officials suspect Boko Haram to be behind the attack, as the group has struck in Potiskum in the past. The terrorist organization has recently increased the number of attacks in Nigeria and the surrounding countries after new President Muhammadu Buhari vowed to stop the group’s violence.

Buhari’s spokesman, Femi Adesina, said that Nigeria would likely be willing to negotiate with Boko Haram if they were willing to cooperate.

“Most wars, however furious or vicious, often end around the negotiation table. So, if Boko Haram opts for negotiation, the government will not be averse to it,” Adesina said.

Nigeria: Ban strongly condemns Boko Haram attacks targeting Muslims and Christians

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Nigeria: Ban strongly condemns Boko Haram attacks targeting Muslims and Christians

7 July 2015 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned attacks by Boko Haram in Lake Chad Basin countries, including the deliberate targeting of Christian and Muslim worshippers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Nigeria’s northeast states of Borno and Yobe.

“The Secretary-General takes note of [Nigerian] President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination to root out this menace, and commends the countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin for their steadfast efforts in the fight against Boko Haram,” according to a statement issued this evening by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson in New York.

News agencies report that extremist violence against both Muslims and Christians left dozens of people dead in Nigeria’s northern town of Zaria earlier today. This follows nearly a week of deadly Boko Haram-led attacks in the region, including over the weekend, described in the media as bombings and indiscriminate shooting into crowds of civilians.

In his statement, Mr. Ban extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.

“The Secretary-General renews his calls to support the operationalization of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) through the provision of the requisite political, logistical, and financial resources and necessary expertise, consistent with international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law,” the statement concluded.

Earlier in the afternoon, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA), briefed the Security Council on the situation in the region, including on the activities of Boko Haram.

Since May, he said, Boko Haram had stepped up its attacks in the Lake Chad Basin area – not only in Nigeria, but also in Niger and Chad – mainly against civilian targets, although the structure and capacity of the group for conventional warfare had been largely destroyed through regional action supported by international partners, which he called commendable.

He said that further vigilance and coordinated regional action against Boko Haram was needed, however, and more support from all partners remained crucial. Addressing the root causes of the insurgency was a requirement for lasting stability. In addition, a coordinated post-conflict strategy was required to help restore living conditions and allow the return of displaced persons.

Boko Haram Unleashes Bloodshed in Attacks in Nigeria’s Central, Northeastern States

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Boko Haram Unleashes Bloodshed in Attacks in Nigeria’s Central, Northeastern States
At least five Christians were killed in northeastern Nigeria over a weekend of violence capped by a twin bombing in Jos that led to attacks on two church buildings on Sunday night (July 5).
In Potiskum, Yobe state in the northeast, Islamic extremist group Boko Haram was suspected in the suicide bombing on Sunday that killed a clergyman and four worshippers at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, police reportedly said. The dead reportedly included a woman and her two children.
Muslim extremists also reportedly killed nine people in several villages in Borno state over the weekend. The Associated Press reported that 32 church buildings were burned down along with about 300 homes in the attacks.
Boko Haram, which seeks to impose sharia (Islamic law) throughout Nigeria, was suspected in the twin bombings in Jos, in the north-central state of Plateau, which one source reportedly said killed at least 51 people; officials put the death toll at 44. A suicide bomber detonated explosives at a mosque where a moderate imam known for advocating peaceful relations among religions was preaching, and a second bomb exploded at a crowded restaurant. At least 67 people were injured, officials said.
Shortly after the explosions in Jos, what appeared to be ordinary area Muslims attacked the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Good News Church, which is near the bombed mosque, and the St. Michael’s Parish of the First African Church Mission. The attacks on the two church buildings occurred at about 11 p.m.
The Rev. Isaiah Oluwagbayibi, pastor at St. Michael’s, told Morning Star News that he was at a loss to understand how the bombing of the mosque should lead to the gutting of his church building.
“A bomb exploded in a mosque, and then they came to burn down our church – what has our church got to do with what happened in their mosque?” he said. “Are Boko Haram terrorists members of our church? Why are they doing this to Christians in northern Nigeria?”
The pastor said the assailants looted and burned shops owned by Christians, while leaving shops of Muslims intact.
“We love Muslims and have shown love to them in practical ways, but in return for our love for them, they repay us with evil attacks,” he said. “Why so?”
The church building has been ruined three times before Sunday’s destruction. Since he arrived as pastor in 2012, he said, Islamic extremist attacks have caused members of his church to flee the area, reducing the congregation from 500 to about 20.
“I reported as the pastor of this church in March 2012, but prior to my coming, this worship auditorium was destroyed thrice by these Muslims,” he said. “When I came, the church was completely destroyed. I had to write letters of appeal to other Christians soliciting funds to carry out major repairs. We’re only able to worship here on Sunday under protection from the police. Right now I can only estimate that the destruction done to the church is about 5 million naira [US$24,800].”
When he went to the church property to examine the damage Monday morning (July 6), a large crowd of Muslims was still loitering about the burned structure, and he could not enter, he said.
“I called the church warden and a member to accompany me to the church,” he said. “We eventually entered the premises and saw the destruction inside the church. As you can see, the pews, the chairs and equipment inside the church have been destroyed.”
He went to police to request that officers be stationed at the site for protection so that leaders might salvage what they could from the ruins, but officers declined, the pastor said. He appealed to the Nigerian government for security and to assist in reconstructing the church building.
“I was expected to have moved into the pastor’s house within the church, but could not do so as there was heightened tension in the country prior to elections last April,” he said. “If I had moved in as earlier planned, myself and my family could have been attacked last night when these Muslims stormed the church. It was divine providence.”
The First African Church in Jos at that location was first established in 1891.
The pastor said that each time his church has been attacked, neighborhood Muslims would visit and promise to prevent further attacks, but to no avail.
“This cycle of vicious attacks on the church has continued even without the slightest provocation from Christians,” he said. “We do not know what else we can do in order to avert such attacks on our church. I must tell you that we are helpless.”
The Rev. Joshua Tuwan, pastor of the ECWA Good News Church, told Morning Star News that on Monday morning (July 6) he found tires in the building that assailants had intended to burn.
“On Sunday night we pleaded with the security agencies to intervene to save our church from being destroyed,” he said. “Quite a number of window glasses were destroyed. The quick intervention of soldiers led to prevention of major destruction on the church building by the Muslims.”
He learned that soldiers shot guns into the air in order to repel a large crowd of Muslims bent on burning the church down.
“We really appreciate the efforts made by the soldiers to stop these Muslims from destroying the church building,” Tuwan said.

Bold Christian Politician Goes on Biblical Rant Against Devil’s Abomination on Senate Floor

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Bold Christian Politician Goes on Biblical Rant Against Devil’s Abomination on Senate Floor

The South Carolina Senate may have thought they were gathering to talk about the Confederate flag, but they heard a sermon instead.

Republican Sen. Lee Bright took the stand to talk about what was really on his heart: That the Confederate flag debates are distracting Americans from what’s really going on in this country, a moral decline facilitated by the devil himself.

He points to the White House displaying “abomination colors,” and Judeo-Christian principles “under assault by men in black robes who are not elected by you.”

“We can rally together and talk about a flag all we want, but the devil is taking control of this land and we’re not stopping him,” the senator said.

Instead of the flag debate, Bright believes Americans need to be addressing the “business of marriage.”

“I believe that Christ teaches us to love the homosexual, but He also teaches us to stand in the gap against sin,” he said. “I know that we need to respect our brother and love our brother, but we cannot respect this sin in the state of South Carolina, so I’m asking you … to deal with marriage.”

Extremist violence against Muslims, Christians sweeps Nigeria, 60 dead

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Extremist violence against Muslims, Christians sweeps Nigeria, 60 dead

JOS, Nigeria – A day of extremist violence against both Muslims and Christians in Nigeria killed more than 60 people, including worshipers in a mosque who came to hear a cleric known for preaching peaceful coexistence of all faiths.

Militants from Boko Haram were blamed for the suicide bombings Sunday night at a crowded mosque and a posh Muslim restaurant in the central city of Jos; a suicide bombing earlier at an evangelical Christian church in the northeastern city of Potiskum, and attacks in several northeastern villages where dozens of churches and about 300 homes were torched.
President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attacks on places of worship and said the government will defend Nigerians’ right to worship freely.

It was the latest spasm of violence by Boko Haram extremists who have killed about 300 people in the past week — apparently after an order by the self-proclaimed Islamic State group for more mayhem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Earlier this year, Boko Haram became an affiliate of the Islamic State group.

The deadliest attack came on Wednesday when more than 140 people were killed — mostly men and boys mowed down by gunfire as they prayed in mosques in the northeastern town of Kukawa.

Burials were held Monday for 51 people killed by the two bombings a day earlier in the city of Jos, said Muslim community lawyer Ahmed Garba.

Another 67 people were wounded, according to Abdussalam Mohammed, the National Emergency Management Agency coordinator.

The explosion at the Yantaya Mosque came as cleric Sani Yahaya was addressing the worshippers, survivors said. Yahaya is the national chairman of the Jama’atu Izalatul Bidia organization, which preaches that all religions should peacefully coexist.

Garba said gunmen also opened fire on the mosque from three directions.

Survivor Danladi Sani said he saw a man dressed in white take aim at Yahaya, and then blow himself up. Yahaya was unharmed, Sani added.

“He is a great Islamic scholar who has spoken out against Boko Haram, and that is why we believe he was the target,” Sani told The Associated Press.

Another bomb exploded at Shagalinku, a restaurant often patronized by state governors and other top politicians for its specialties popular with Muslims, witnesses said.

Sabi’u Bako was picking up a takeout meal when he heard a massive explosion as he walked away with friends.

“The restaurant was destroyed, and we saw many people covered in blood,” he said. “We can’t believe that we escaped.”

Jos is a hotspot for violent religious confrontations because it is located in the center of the country where Nigeria’s majority Muslim north meets the mainly Christian south. The city has been targeted by bombs claimed by Boko Haram extremists that have killed hundreds.

Earlier Sunday, a female suicide bomber struck a crowded service of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Potiskum, killing six people, witnesses said.

Elsewhere in the northeast, extremists killed nine people and burned down 32 churches and about 300 homes in several villages, said Stephen Apagu, chairman of a self-defense group in Borno state’s Askira-Uba local government area. He said the militia killed three militants.

The villages had been attacked three days earlier and 29 people killed.

The United States condemned the recent attacks and said it continues to provide counterterrorism assistance to Nigeria to “combat the threat posed by Boko Haram,” said a statement Monday from State Department spokesman John Kirby.

Boko Haram took over a large swath of northeastern Nigeria last year. A multinational force from Nigeria and its neighbors forced the militants out of many towns, but bombings and village attacks have increased in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s military freed 180 detainees who had been held for up to two years, accused of being Boko Haram members. Those freed Monday included women with babies and toddlers.

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