Cardinal Francis George, the First Chicago Native to Serve as City’s Archbishop, Dies at 78

cardinal (Photo: Courtesy of the Archdiocese of Chicago)

Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago.

Christian Post Report – Cardinal Francis E. George, the retired archbishop of Chicago who served from 1997 to 2014, died on Friday at the age of 78 after a long battle with cancer, sources confirmed.

The cardinal, who was the first native Chicagoan to head the archdiocese, died at his residence just a few months after halting treatment for bladder cancer. In a statement released by his successor in Chicago, Archbishop Blase J. Cupich, George was remembered as “a man of peace, tenacity and courage.”

“Let us heed his example and be a little more brave, a little more steadfast and a lot more loving,” Cupich said at a news conference held outside Holy Name Cathedral to announce the death.

Burial arrangements for the Cardinal have not yet been made public.

George was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 1998, and in 2008 he served as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for three years. He once famously led a campaign opposing the Affordable Care Act over concerns of taxpayer funded abortions.

He was known for his vigorous defense of church dogma and in 2013 openly opposed Illinois’ same-sex marriage bill.

“The law has made some gays and lesbians happy, and that is not a bad thing in itself,” he wrote via a church bulletin. “The law, however, is bad law because it will contribute over the long run to the further dissolution of marriage and family life, which are the bedrock of any society.”

In September 2014, Pope Francis accepted George’s resignation and appointed Bishop Cupich to succeed him as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

“I would imagine, and hope, this is the case, that he’ll have a different approach, a different tone,” George said previously of his resignation. “That’s good because there are people who I couldn’t reach that he’ll be able to, and there are things that I perhaps didn’t think important to tend to that he will think are. That’s the advantage of a change.”

The cardinal was raised in a working class neighborhood on Chicago’s northwest side and at age 13 he suffered a bout of polio that left him permanently disabled.

He studied theology at the University of Ottawa in Canada before going on to become a respected leader in the Catholic community.

He spoke several languages including Italian and French and authored a number of books.

Source : Christian Post

OnePlus Two Rumors, Release Date: ‘Flagship Killer’ Successor to Launch in Q3 2015

OnePlus One Wikimedia Commons/Image

Christian Post Report – Despite the fact that the OnePlus One has been released more than a year ago, it still remains a sought-after mobile device for people who cannot afford the latest in the market.

OnePlus has even added more reasons to buy last year’s model with the release of the new Oxygen OS that brings a new look and feel to the “flagship killer.” However, for people who were fans of the OnePlus One during its campaign period last year, they may be waiting for the successor – the OnePlus Two.

The device could be released later this year, around the third quarter. In the report by GSM Arena, the hint comes from OnePlus CEO himself, Peter Lau.

The Chinese brand’s choice to announce the device in the third quarter could be a strategic move in order to compete against the bigger names in the industry.

Every year, the biggest names in the technology industry announce their latest handsets during late third quarter, or early fourth quarter of each year, paving the way for a strong finish for the year.

Apple, Samsung, LG, Sony, Motorola, Xiaomi, HTC, and Lenovo are just some of the big names in the business that all announced new devices during 2014’s final four months.

Is OnePlus already in this league of quality and well-known brands?

Source : Christian Post

ISIS Militants Hold Sex Slave ‘Lottery,’ Pass Around 8-Y-O Girls to Rape and Torture, Says Escaped Captive

Christian Women, Sex Slaves, Iraq (Photo: Twitter)

These Christian women were chained and forced to wear veils by ISIS militants in Iraq.

Christian Post Report – A report released Wednesday that includes interviews with 11 women and nine girls who were sexually enslaved by the Islamic State reveals horrifying details about how the terrorists beat, torture and pass around sexually abused Yazidi and religious minority women and girls.

The investigation, which was conducted by Human Rights Watch, explains that religious minority women and children as young as 8, were abducted by the terrorist group when it took over large swaths of northern Iraq last year. It has been widely reported that many of the abducted young women and girls have been sold in sex slave markets, forced to marry ISIS fighters, and are often sold and raped by multiple foreign ISIS fighters.

The report states that ISIS often holds abducted Yazidi girls in many different locations throughout northern Iraq, in places such as farm compounds, hotels, prisons, military bases, schools, and former government buildings.

Many of the abducted girls, including two 12-year-olds who spoke with HRW, were often taken to houses or “wedding halls” in certain locations in Syria and Iraq, where there would be about 60 other abducted women waiting to be sold or married off to a militant.

“From 9:30 in the morning, men would come to buy girls to rape them. I saw in front of my eyes, ISIS soldiers pulling hair, beating girls, and slamming the heads of anyone who resisted. They were like animals,” a 20-year-old escaped ISIS captive said. “Once they took the girls out, they would rape them and bring them back to exchange for new girls. The girls’ ages ranged from 8 to 30 year. Only 20 girls remained in the end.”

A 31-year-old woman, given the pseudonym Rashida, told HRW that she was even part of a sex slave “lottery,” where militants drew the name of the girl he was going to take home.

Rashida said she remembers calling her brother by secretly using a militant’s phone. She said that her brother told her to commit suicide — like many other ISIS female captives have done — if she were not able to escape.

“Later that day they [ISIS fighters] made a lottery of our names and started to choose women by drawing out the names. The man who selected me, Abu Ghufran, forced me to bathe, but while I was in the bathroom I tried to kill myself,” Rashida explained. “I had found some poison in the house, and took it with me to the bathroom. I knew it was toxic because of its smell. I distributed it to the rest of the girls and we each mixed some with water in the bathroom and drank it. None of us died but we all got sick, some collapsed.”

A 12-year-old girl, who was raped by four ISIS fighters and is referenced by the name of Jalila, said she was separated from her sister and taken to a house in Syria where she was initially selected by an ISIS fighter.

“The men would come and select us. When they came, they would tell us to stand up and then examine our bodies. They would tell us to show our hair and sometimes they beat the girls if they refused,” Jalila said. “They wore dishdashas [ankle length garments], and had long beards and hair.”

She explained that once she was sold, she was raped for three days.

“I told him not to touch me and begged him to let me go,” Jalila said. “I told him to take me to my mother. I was a young girl, and I asked him, ‘What do you want from me?’ He spent three days having sex with me.”

Jalila said that she was either sold or given away as a “gift” to three other ISIS fighters. She added that the last fighter she was with before she escaped used to tie her hands and legs.

Two sisters, 25-year-old Rana and 21-year-old Sara, said their 16-year-old sister told them that a European ISIS fighter had beat and tortured her by giving her electric shocks and denying her access to food.

The sisters further explained that she was then given to another local fighter and was raped for about a month before she was sold to an Algerian ISIS fighter. The last time that they had heard from their sister was when she was sold to a Saudi ISIS fighter.

Twelve-year-old Wafa said that she was selected by an older ISIS fighter. Although he initially assured her that she would not be hurt, she said he ended up raping her.

“He was sleeping in the same place with me and told me not be afraid because I was like his daughter,” she said. “One day I woke up and my legs were covered in blood.”

Source : Christian Post

Exclusive ‘A.D: The Bible Continues’ Clip Reveals the Coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost; (Watch Here)

A.D. - The Bible Continues (Photo: Courtesy of Rogers & Cowan)

A.D. – The Bible Continues episode three airs on NBC Sunday, April 19, 2015.

“A.D. – The Bible Continues” is returning to NBC with its third and most dynamic episode yet this Sunday, revealing the moment the Holy Spirit appears at last.

The Roma Downey and Mark Burnett-produced mini-series first premiered on Easter Sunday earlier this month, and it has already garnered critical acclaim. Its return to primetime television this Sunday, April 19, “A.D.” will finally feature the Pentecost and reveal the promise of Jesus.

So far, “A.D” viewers have seen the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the resurrection, and ascension. And this Sunday, the Holy Spirit will appear. Downey and her husbad Burnett recently sat down with Pastor Rick Warren to discuss the new television series and the important role of the Holy Spirit.

“We knew that a big part of this story was going to be, and had to be, the Holy Spirit, because I believe once the heart is open, then grace and God moves in and does the rest,” she said. “The Pentecost, which is in episode 3, is just spectacular. Mark [Burnett] and I always speak that the star of the show is the Holy Spirit.”

Episode three will also see zealot revolutionaries try to assassinate Pilate during the festival of Pentecost. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the disciples start to preach the Gospel. Caiphas arrests Peter and John.

In a teaser clip from the new “A.D.” episode, the Lord’s Prayer is recited by Jesus’ disciples as they prepare to receive the Holy Spirit. During the prayer, a powerful light forms in the clouds above before descending onto earth.

“A.D. – The Bible Continues” will air on NBC this Sunday, April 19 at 9 p.m. ET. The encore of last week’s Episode 2 will air directly ahead of the highly-anticipated new episode, paving the way for two hours of Bible engagement on national television this week.

Watch the “A.D.” episode three preview here.

Source : Christian Post

Huawei P8 Specs, Release Date: Can Brand New Flagship Take On Fierce Android Competition?

Huawei Event Logo REUTERS/MORRIS MAC MATZEN

Christian Post Report – A worker adjusts the logo at the stand of Huawei at the CeBIT trade fair in Hanover March 15, 2015.

After months of letting its fans wait, Huawei has finally unveiled its latest flagship, and it’s not just one, not two, but three new smartphones.

According to several reports by GSM Arena, the Chinese manufacturer has unveiled its brand new Huawei P8, a midranger Huawei P8 Lite, and a massive Huawei P8 Max.

Today, the focus will be on Huawei’s latest flagship, which has been leaked in various reports and websites in the past several weeks.

The Huawei P8 is a metal-covered smartphone that reportedly measures just 6.4mm, which is pretty thin for a device that has a 5.2-inch display.

The screen is a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution display that may be a bit outdated, but would provide better efficiency in the power department.

Powering the device is a home baked Kirin 935 chipset, together with 3GB of RAM and several storage options such as 16GB or 64GB. The phone runs on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop skinned with Emotion UI.

Other specs include a 13MP primary shooter that uses an RGBW (red-green-blue-white) pattern instead of the usual RGB feature. Reports claim that this would help the smartphone shoot images and videos in low-light conditions better. In front is an 8MP front camera.

Also on board is a 2,680mAh battery that promises 2-3 days of moderate use, and a microSD card slot (it uses the SIM 2 slot).

Unfortunately, when the prices were revealed, almost everyone’s eyebrows rose.

The 16GB version costs 499 euros, while the 64GB edition costs 100 euros more. Given Huawei’s competition in its home market, other handsets from ZTE and Xiaomi are far cheaper.

We’ll see whether the Huawei P8 lives up to the hype it received.

Source : Christian Post

Manny Pacquiao Hopes to Beat Floyd Mayweather Jr., Then Have Bible Study With Him

Floyd Mayweathe Jr. and Manny Pacquiao Reuters/File

Christian Post Report – Boxing icons Floyd Mayweathe Jr. and Manny Pacquiao present during the press conference for “the biggest fight in boxing history” held in downtown Las Vegas.

For weeks leading up to the May 2 fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., the Filipino boxer’s trainer, Freddie Roach, has been saying that his fighter has a deep dislike for Mayweather, due to Mayweather’s history of domestic violence. Roach has repeatedly referred to the megafight as the battle between “good and evil.”

But on Wednesday, April 15, Pacquiao invited the news media at his training headquarters at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood and told them that he wants to end Mayweather’s streak, and after that, he wants to have a Bible study with him.

“I just want to send this message to him — nothing personal,” said the eight-division world boxing champion. “We’re just doing our jobs. And after the fight, if I could talk to him, I want to share the gospel of God. I want to share to him about God, why we need God.”

Pacquiao is a born-again Christian, and he has often credited his faith for saving his marriage and changing his life.

“I want to teach him a lesson,” he continued. “To be a good person, to be an example for everybody. To let him know that there is God and we should humble ourselves before God.”

On May 2, Pacquiao stands to earn 40 percent of the purse, which amounts to about more than $100 million. The fighter said that he spends his money on his family, relatives, and a number of needy families in the Philippines.

“I’m not a materialistic person,” said Pacquiao. He adds that the money is “a grace that God has entrusted to me. I’m just a steward of that grace.”

Meanwhile, during Mayweather’s media day earlier this week, the undefeated fighter had this to say about the enormity of the bout, which is touted to be the richest in boxing history.

“It’s not just about the money — it’s about legacy, fans, family — everything,” Mayweather said.

Of the fight’s significance to his career, Mayweather said, “One fight does not define Floyd Mayweather’s career.”

Source : Christian Post

GTA 5 Release Date for PC: New Version Finally Available

GTA 5 Creative Commons/Image

“Grand Theft Auto 5” is coming for PC on April 14, 2015. Rockstar Games, the developer, says that the launch time is tied to British Summer Time (BST), which means that 12:00 a.m. BST equates to 7:00 p.m. EST and 4:00 p.m. PST, giving US gamers a few hours advantage over those in Europe. This advantage however is only available to those who are opting to buy the Digital only version for PC.

According to a report in Mashable, the PC version is more than just “a direct copy of the game.” It also brings with it two cool new features – the Rockstar Editor and the Director Mode – which allows the PC player to create new content based on gameplay.

The Rockstar Editor is a built-in video editor that allows users to “tweak and string together a series of recorded clips” into one cohesive video. Users as always will have the option to share their created videos or just keep it to themselves.

The Director Mode gives a different sense of control for PC users. Through this mode, they can “stage their own elaborate set pieces with a greater degree of control” than those available in existing modes of the game.

Both features combined turns the game into something more than just a game – it becomes “a toybox for content creators.” So much custom content can be created with these new tools.

The PC version is also expected to have better visual fidelity if users are using high-end PCs. It is said to run in 4K at 60 frames per second. The recommended set-up for this case is two video cards and an i7 processor according to the IGN report.

The IGN report also lists down the minimum requirements for PCs to run “GTA 5” which includes 4 CPUs, 4GB RAM, an NVIDIA 9800 GT 1GB video card, 100% DirectX 10 compatible, and a 65GB HDD space. The recommended requirement needs higher RAM at 8GB and an NVIDIA GTX 660 2GB video card.

Source : Christian Post

Controversial ‘Sex Box’ TV Program Canceled After 5 Episodes; Conservative Group Claims Victory

Sex Box (Screengrab: YouTube/WE-TV)

A WE-TV program titled “Sex Box,” scheduled to debut on Friday, February 27, 2015.

Christian Post Report – A program where couples have sex inside a soundproof box before discussing their relationship issues has been canceled after just five episodes.

“Sex Box,” a program that aired on the cable channel WE TV, was pulled from the airwaves following low ratings and protests from social conservative groups.

In a statement released earlier this week, WE TV said that the program “did not connect with large numbers of viewers” but may return to television in the near future.

“We are working with our production partners on a potential reformatted version of the show and are thankful for the efforts of everyone involved,” continued WE.

Based off of a British program of the same name, Sex Box, which debuted in February, featured gay and straight couples who would have sex in an enclosed box and then come out to a studio audience to discuss their relationship issues with a three-person panel.

Mariella Frostrup, host of the British version, told the U.K. Daily Mail back in 2013 that “Sex Box” was not pornographic.

“I think it was a really, really mature — surprisingly for television — look at a subject we’ve allowed to proliferate in its worst manifestations and refuse to confront,” said Frostrup.

“The sex we see on screen, in magazines and increasingly online bears little relation to the real experiences of real people — this will be a frank conversation about an essential element in all our lives.”

The program stirred the ire of groups like the Parents Television Council that rallied thousands of supporters to demand the program’s cancellation.

In response, WE TV posted a web page on their site asking viewers to “watch before you judge” and directing people to the PTC’s petition if they agreed that the program should be canceled.

“‘Sex Box’ revolutionizes couples therapy by repairing relationships and restoring communication between couples. We are confident in ‘Sex Box’ and we ask you to watch it,” said WE.

“Then, if you agree with the PTC, sign their petition.”

Regarding the news of the cancellation, PTC released a statement Friday wherein they declared victory for the organization’s members and concerned citizens in general.

“The program from its very outset was an affront to families, toxic to advertisers, and a clear demonstration of a badly-broken business model that forces every cable/satellite subscriber to pay for unwanted and unwatched cable networks,” stated PTC President Tim Winter.

“PTC members and other pro-family groups who signed petitions against the show are to be congratulated for their successful activism.”

Source : Christian Post

Megachurch Pastor Mark Smith Who Church Leaders Hired as ‘God’s Man’ Quits After Just 18 Months

Mark Smith (Photo: Twitter/@pastormarksmith)

Pastor Mark Smith of First Baptist Jackson Church in Mississippi.

Christian Post Report – Just 18 months ago, in an announcement that they had hired Mark Smith to be their new senior pastor, top officials at the First Baptist Jackson Church in Mississippi said they had fallen “in love” and described him as God’s man and “God’s will” for the job. In a surprising turn of events this week, however, Smith abruptly quit, declaring in his rejection of the job that he is not the man for their church.

“After prayer, meeting with others, seeking counsel from the church staff, and study, [Smith] senses he is not the man to lead First Jackson into the future,” a press release from the church read.

These sentiments are a sharp departure from the excitement and Godly conviction Sam Peeples, chairman of the nine-member pastor search committee that unanimously recommended Smith’s hiring publicly shared with the congregation in a report on his hiring in September 2013.

“We loved his humility, discernment, and sensitivity. We continued to evaluate other candidates and we were praying fervently. One day as I was driving to work, I was asking God to reveal His man to us. I felt a strong impression of God saying, ‘Sam, I’ve already answered your prayer.’ I guarded these thoughts in my heart but I did share them with the committee. We continued to pray. We visited his church and invited him back to Jackson for several other meetings,” wrote Peeples in the report.

“This is the way; walk in it.” | Pastor Search Committee | 9/29/13 from First Baptist Jackson on Vimeo.

“As opposed to previous candidates where we had a growing sense of unease the farther we went, in this case we had a growing sense of peace. This peace and conviction of God’s will continued to grow as we checked references and completed other due diligence. We have had numerous, in depth discussions of theology, leadership philosophy, spiritual vision, and the like. We fell in love with him even more. The entire committee agrees that God has answered our prayer and has given us a man who loves God, loves people, loves God’s word, and loves building God’s kingdom. He is a man after God’s own heart,” the report continued.

What exactly brought an end to the lovefest between Smith and his congregation remains unclear.

In the press release announcing Smith’s decision, he said that people are “gifted by God for certain tasks, and given experiences in life that prepare us and educate us for those tasks. You need and deserve a pastor who possesses the skills to move you confidently and boldly into the future.”

The announcement caught some church members off guard.

Cornelia Bullock, a follower of the church, publicly wondered on the church’s Facebook pageabout Smith’s resignation, noting that it had come without warning.

The Christian Post reached out to the nine members of the pastoral search committee — Sam Peeples,
Brad Antici, Paul Calhoun, Larry Johnson, Jackie Meck, Beverly Shelton, Ann Southerland, Marla Speed and
Thomas Wiley — who unanimously recommended Smith for the job to comment on his surprising announcement. Only one of them, Wiley, responded through his wife, who said: “No, no.”

Smith’s final Sunday at First Baptist Jackson will be on April 26 before he and wife, Toni, move on to their “new assignment,” which they said they are trusting God for.

Worship – September 29, 2013 from First Baptist Jackson on Vimeo.

Source : Christian Post

Colton Haynes Leaves CW Drama, ‘Arrow’

Colton Haynes Reuters/File

Christian Post Report – (Photo : REUTERS/Gus Ruelas) Actor and model Colton Haynes arrives at the 2014 Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar Party in West Hollywood, California March 2, 2014.

Colton Haynes has just departed his co-starring role in CW’s “Arrow,” leaving the titular character without a sidekick.

Fans of the superhero crime fighting CW television series, “Arrow” may have to get used to the absence of Roy Harper from the show, as Colton Haynes will be making his departure from Starling City after his contract with the show ended after season three.

Last week, the man known as Arsenal staged his own death while in prison, made his escape, and eventually his exit from Team Arrow, as well.

Hayne’s two year deal as an “Arrow” regular is at an end, but he will still be involved in the “Arrow-Flash” universe. He has one more appearance in an episode this season, and he is currently in talks for a possible stint on “Flash,” and the currently developing “Arrow-Flash” spinoff.

Haynes, who was fresh from his stint as Jason Whittemore in Teen Wolf, took on the role as Green Arrow’s sidekick for a two-season contract, and his season three swan song has seen Roy Harper struggling with guilt for having killed a policeman.

One of the show’s producers Marc Guggenheim told Deadline they had already written season three’s story arc with an end point to Roy Harper’s existence in the series, without actually killing him off.

Haynes won’t be gone for good, however. Apart from one more episode this season, audiences may expect him to appear in Warner Bros’ other television shows.

According to producer, Greg Berlanti, both Haynes and the show executives have already signified their willingness to a comeback on the show at any point in the series.

In January, “Arrow” was been renewed for season four, but whether Haynes will appear in any of the 23 episodes has yet to be announced.

Source : Christian Post