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The Pope Hopes No One is in Hell: A problematic view of God’s justice

In a television interview watched by millions, Pope Francis recently made a comment about hell that has been widely reported.

In the words of the Catholic News Agency:

“When asked by the interviewer, Fabio Fazio, how he ‘imagines hell,’ Pope Francis gave a short response. ‘What I am going to say is not a dogma of faith but my own personal view: I like to think of hell as empty; I hope it is.’”

I have a different — indeed, completely opposite — view.

I should make it clear that I, too, hope that sometime in the future — hopefully the near future — no one will be sent to hell. That would mean goodness had finally so prevailed on Earth that not one person was deserving of punishment in the afterlife.

But as of this moment, I fervently hope that some people are in hell — or whatever one wishes to call punishment after life; just as I hope some people are in heaven — or whatever one wishes to call reward in an afterlife.

Why? Because if no one is punished after death, that would mean either there is no God or, equally depressing, it would mean God is not just.

It should be added that if no one is punished, the corollary would mean that no one is rewarded. Pure logic dictates it is not possible to have an afterlife in which people were rewarded but not punished. It would mean either everyone is rewarded — which would mean there is no justice — or only some are rewarded. But if only some are rewarded, that means those who are deprived of reward are thereby punished.

It shows how little serious thought is given to the subject that a vast number of people do not think the existence of a heaven and a hell are important subjects and/or dismiss them as religious nonsense.

This absence of serious thought can be easily demonstrated. Let’s imagine a society in which there were no rewards or punishments. I suspect almost no one — though not no one, as we shall see — thinks that would be a good society. How many people would want to live in a society in which murderers and rapists were never punished while people who engaged in exceptional goodness were never rewarded?

If that doesn’t make the case, let’s not imagine a whole society. Let’s imagine a school. Would you send your child to a school in which students who routinely disturbed their classes and flunked all their subjects were never punished and students who excelled behaviorally and academically were never rewarded?

I assume not. So why, then, would anyone want such a scenario for all of life? Why would anyone want people who committed terrible evils not to be punished and people who committed heroic, self-sacrificing good acts not to be rewarded?

This is why I wrote that there is an absence of serious thought on this issue. What people would find utterly objectionable in their society or even just in their child’s school, they are at peace with regarding life.

But there is more to this issue. People are in fact increasingly at peace with no reward or punishment in this life. This is the egalitarian impulse that is coming to dominate intellectual life. More and more people are in fact advocating such a society. No more “retributive justice.” No more merit-based standards. No more valedictorians. No more failing grades. No more SATs. Indeed, no more standards. No more bail. No more punishment if you are caught stealing less than a thousand dollars’ worth of goods. No more prosecutors who prosecute. Only “equity.”

I am convinced that is what animated Pope Francis’ words. Note that he said he was stating his opinion, not church dogma. And as a man of the Left, he’s uncomfortable with reward and especially punishment. As an egalitarian, the thought that anyone is in hell disturbs him.

So, why do people who think like the Pope oppose rewards and punishments?

Because rewards and punishments mean that one must make judgments about better and worse — morally, academically and in most other spheres of life. It’s better to just assume no one is better than anyone else. That is what has animated participation trophies — no one, not even a team, is better or worse. In much of the contemporary intellectual world, the greatest sin is judging sin. And when you do away with sin, you do away with hell.

https://www.frontpagemag.com/the-pope-hopes-no-one-is-in-hell/

Your Black Family OWNED Slaves but You Want the CHURCH to Pay Reparations for Slavery

Our Senior Fellow Rafe Heydel-Mankoo took part in a panel debate on Turkish television’s TRT World, to debate whether the Church of England should create a £1 Billion fund to atone for its investment fund having an historic link to slavery. Here is the link to the full video on the TRT World channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34iWO…

Child Rapist Housed in Women’s Prison Sues Washington Department of Corrections Officials For Breast Implants

A man convicted of the horrific sexual abuse of a young girl has been engaged in a lawsuit against the Washington Department of Corrections, claiming they have not fulfilled their end of the bargain on a “gender affirming care” agreement, and seeking $400,000 in compensation.

Brooke Lyn Sonia, formerly known as Brett David Sonia, was convicted in 2005 and 2006 on dozens of charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child. Sonia had first initiated contact with the child in Strafford County, New Hampshire, where he began sexually abusing the girl and photographing the lewd acts, but would later take the victim across state lines to Los Angeles County, California where he would continue to sexually exploit her.

Early news coverage from the case suggest the girl, who was 13 at the time, had been groomed by Sonia into creating child sexual exploitation material.

Jury selection in Strafford County was said to be “difficult,” with over one dozen potential jurors admitting they would not be able to sit on the case due to its highly disturbing nature.

Sonia in August of 2021. Photo: PenpalsForPrisoners/FACEBOOK

As previously exclusively revealed by Reduxx, Sonia was ultimately handed sentences in both California and New Hampshire, with the latter taking the lead in his prison term. After a minimum of 22.5 years are served towards his New Hampshire sentence, which maxes out in 2047, a Los Angeles County court will decide whether he is to serve additional time in California.

But after being incarcerated, Sonia wasn’t kept in New Hampshire. 

As part of the Interstate Corrections Compact (ICC), Sonia was sent to Washington to serve a portion of his sentence in 2016, one year after beginning to identify as transgender. The ICC allows states to share correctional resources, and move inmates to cross-border facilities which may be better suited to their needs. Sonia was moved between multiple male facilities in Washington, and left a trail of complaints with regards to not being given adequate access to “gender affirming care,” such as women’s underwear and laser hair removal.

In 2022, Sonia was finally moved into a women’s prison in Washington state. A source with a family member at the Washington Correctional Center for Women (WCCW) came forward to speak with Reduxx and pass on information from the female inmates inside, who claimed that Sonia frequently “changes” his gender identity, and has reportedly told some of the female inmates that he identifies as a man.

But months after Reduxx broke the news on Sonia’s transfer, he appears to have launched a lawsuit against ten staff members associated with the Washington Department of Corrections (WDOC) both at WCCW and the male prison Sonia had previously been held at, citing “cruel and unusual punishment.”

In a legal complaint obtained by Reduxx, Sonia alleges that the defendants denied him “adequate medical care with deliberate indifference,” and caused him “severe emotional anguish” as a result.

According to the complaint, Sonia says that he entered into an agreement with staff from the WDOC in 2020 promising facial hair removal and “gender confirmation surgery” in the form of breast implants.

As a result of not receiving these taxpayer-funded procedures in a timely fashion, Sonia claims he has suffered severe and debilitating anxiety, depression, weight gain and loss, and anger issues.

Brooke Lyn Sonia. Photo Courtesy of WDOC.

Other matters brought forward in the suit include a claim by Sonia that money was “unlawfully seized” from his inmate account. This seizure appears to be related to legal financial obligations which may have included compensation to his victim, but Sonia claims he should not have been subjected to the seizure of his funds. A third matter involves Sonia being registered to alcohol and drug programs he says were not required, with the inmate accusing members of WDOC staff of “fudging” his record to justify the enrollment.

In response, Attorney General Robert Ferguson, who is representing the defendants, admitted that an agreement had been struck between Sonia and correctional officials regarding “gender affirming care,” but denied that Sonia was entitled to any relief for his various complaints.

The case is progressing and appears to be headed for a jury trial.

In Sonia’s complaint, he highlighted that other inmates in WDOC custody had been offered hair removal and breast augmentation services, and while he did not specify who, it is likely one of the inmates he is referring to is Nonnie Marcella Lotusflower, another trans-identified male inmate at WCCW.

Born Nathan Goninan, Lotusflower was provided “gender affirming” breast implants in June of 2022 by the state of Washington while serving a 10-year sentence for the brutal murder of a teen girl.

In May of 2023, Reduxx learned from an internal source that Lotusflower had reportedly been “gifted” a Victoria’s Secret bra by the facility despite the brand not being an approved retailer allowed into WCCW.

https://reduxx.info/exclusive-child-rapist-housed-in-womens-prison-sues-washington-department-of-corrections-officials-for-breast-implants/

Why is Klaus Schwab’s website quietly delisting the names of his American allies?

By Olivia Murray

As I’ve noted before, from time to time I’ll check in on the Young Global Leaders website, making mental notes of the newcomers. YGL is an “initiative” of the World Economic Forum to “drive public-private co-operation in the global public interest.” For context, it appears as though selected candidates will undergo a year-long initiation process, which includes WEF “programming,” networking opportunities, and seminars. After “graduation,” members of the class may apply to be incorporated into the “alumni” community.

Naturally, I focus on those in the “North America” region because those are the names I most often recognize. Yet today, while writing a blog on Tyson Foods and its decision to fire Americans and hire illegals (click here to read that one), I realized that YGL seems to be scrubbing the names of certain American acolytes.

I only discovered this when I went looking for Tyson Foods CFO John R. Tyson because he did not pop up in either the “New Class” tab or the “Community” tab (I always check both because I don’t know at what point during the year classes begin and end). I was able to find him, but only if I typed “Tyson” into the search bar—and boom! There he was.

Then, it got me thinking—was anyone else missing? By golly, yes they were! Two names (at least) that I found rather interesting: Representative Colin Allred, a Texas Democrat, and Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo. (Now, I’ve taken some heat in the past with readers being upset that I’ve noted this inconvenient fact regarding Maria’s alliances, but “don’t shoot the messenger” is apropos.)

And even more interesting things happen when you type “Bartiromo” or “Allred” into the search bar: Unlike Tyson, these two seem to be completely gone from the website. Now, of course, since these two profiles have seemingly been erased from YGL, I went to the Wayback Machine, which proved invaluable.

Here is Maria Bartiromo, screenshotted January 10, 2021 and here is Representative Allred, screenshotted May 26, 2022. Here’s an old press release from Allred’s office announcing his selection into the 2022 class, and, if you follow Bartiromo’s LinkedIn profile to her linked personal website, you arrive at Bartiromo.com, and find that she apparently “overseas [sic] the Board of the Young Global Leaders [emphasis added] of the World Economic Forum.”

Lastly, here’s a 2008 Bloomberg article highlighting Bartiromo as a “YGLer” — as well as Anderson Cooper, Elon Musk, Gavin Newsom, and Leonardo DiCaprio….

Did Allred and Bartiromo decide to leave the alumni community? What about Cooper, Musk, Newsom, and DiCaprio? Because none of their names appear on the YGL website either.

Is it all just a bunch of glitches?

Maybe, or maybe it’s because the battle for the American way of life is hitting fever pitch as we roll into the 2024 election, and anti-American globalists, especially ones we might consider our allies, need to fly under the radar.

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/03/why_is_klaus_schwabs_website_quietly_delisting_the_names_of_his_american_allies.html

“Because someone ate pork” – Ramadan-related brawl breaks out at French official deportation centre

A brawl in connection with Ramadan. The incidents took place on March 16 at the Mesnil-Amelot administrative detention centre (Seine-et-Marne) “due to disputes related to Ramadan”, a police source told Valeurs actuelles. Mohamed B. punched Amadou F. with his fist. A little later, another prisoner punched Amadou F. in the back of the head and kicked him. The two attackers, Mohamed B., a Tunisian national, and Rahim A., an Algerian national, were placed in solitary confinement in preventive detention. The victim stated that he wanted to press charges against the two attackers.
Conflicts in connection with Ramadan are steadily increasing. Most recently, an Algerian person of Catholic faith was attacked because she had eaten pork in a residential home in Etampes (Essonne). The victim was threatened with a knife and received kicks and punches because some people did not tolerate the victim eating pork.

On Friday March 15, Marion Maréchal declared on the TV programme “Touche pas à mon poste!” that, in her opinion, “Ramadan is the barometer of the Islamisation of French society”. “Since Monday, we have been living in the Islamic period: France 2 is doing its big Ramadan night, advertising everywhere, the mayor of Lyon is stopping building work for it, etc.,” added the lead candidate of Eric Zemmour’s party for the European elections. She said that this Islamic festival is “omnipresent” and that she does not want “Ramadan to become a French festival like Christmas or Easter”, as she “adheres to a certain idea of French identity”.

Le Mesnil-Amelot : une rixe liée au ramadan éclate dans un centre de rétention administrative – Valeurs actuelles

Shoot-out in Belgium leaves one police officer dead and two wounded

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A Belgian police raid targeting a suspect allegedly involved in illegal car dealing, drugs and arms trafficking became deadly.

One officer was killed, with a second left fighting for life. The alleged perpetrator also died.

In the early hours of March 18, elite Belgian police from the Directorate of Special Units (DSU) were called in to tackle a reportedly dangerous suspect in a house in the city of Charleroi.

The suspected criminal was lying in waiting for them and, as the elite units entered the house, he opened fire, hitting three officers.

The police retreated to attend to the injured and reinforcements were called in.

One 36-year-old officer was killed, while his 33-year-old comrade was seriously injured and is now in intensive care. A third officer sustained minor injuries.

Screen grab youtube

In a later press conference, Vincent Fiasse, Charleroi prosecutor, described what had happened in what was one of several such operations targeting a criminal gang.

Fiasse said police identified themselves in the raid around 6am on the morning and first encountered a woman. The suspect then appeared from behind a door, pulled out a weapon and shot at the officers.

When the wounded policemen were retrieved, others moved in. They discovered the gunman, now also severely injured. He was arrested and rushed to the hospital, where he died of his wounds.

The shootings took place in what is regarded as a quiet neighbourhood. Residents have said the deceased suspect and his family had never exhibited any untoward behaviour and were known for their friendly demeanour.

The DSU has had members injured before but the March 18 loss of an officer is the first in recent memory.

Annelies Verlinden, interior minister and head of the Belgian police, called it “a black day for the police family and all security forces”.

“Our thoughts are with the victims’ families and colleagues. We will do everything we can to support them,” she said.

Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt added: “I heard the same news about this nightmare this morning. On behalf of our Government, I express my utmost respect for the police.”

Opposition party N-VA called for a meeting of the House Committee on Home Affairs as soon as possible to discuss the incident.

The right-wing Vlaams Belang party pointed the finger at policymakers, saying: “Something is going seriously wrong,” adding: “Everything radiating authority has a target on its back.”

Politicians of all stripes offered their condolences along with all police units.

Federal Judicial Police Commissioner-General Eric Snoeck said: “This morning, as all days, dozens of colleagues, dozens of federal agents, got up early, said goodbye to their families to do their duty.

“With the will, as always, to do their job correctly, also in the service of the people. One of us will not return home, another is fighting against death, yet another is [suffering from] his injuries.”

Snoeck commended the professionalism exhibited by his force but lamented that “even with such dedication, it was insufficient to prevent an incident of this magnitude, unprecedented in recent police history”.

He appealed for compassion and support for the victims and asked the press to act with due respect to the victims and their families.

An investigation into murder and attempted murder of the officers has been opened by the authorities.

https://brusselssignal.eu/2024/03/belgium-shooting-leaves-one-officer-dead-and-two-wounded/

J.K. Rowling Shreds Puberty Blockers After U.K. Ban: ‘Well-Funded Lobbying Groups Drunk on Their Own Power’

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J.K. Rowling ripped into the activists who pushed puberty blockers after the U.K. National Health Service (NHS) banned their use on minors dealing with transgenderism.

NHS England based its decision to ban puberty blockers for children this week on there not being enough evidence on the procedure’s safety or clinical effectiveness. The U.K. government also endorsed the “landmark decision,” hailing at as being in the “best interests of children.” NHS England proposed a ban on the procedure last June and issued the definitive decision following a review from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Author J.K. Rowling, who has been an outspoken critic of transgender radicalism since 2020, celebrated the decision on social media and called out the activists who pushed this on children.

“How was this allowed in the first place… no words,” one user on X said in reply to her post highlighting the policy change.

“Well-funded lobbying groups drunk on their own power, politicians closing their eyes rather than suffer social media pushback, idiot celeb cheerleaders who’re about to go very quiet, pharmaceutical companies chasing profit, medics who abandoned ethics and should be in the dock,” she replied.

One self-identified “de-transitioner” said, “It breaks my heart it was allowed to go on for so long. The damage done is untold, and the number of detransitioners who have broke down in pain to me will live with me forever.”

“Your orchid is still alive and I think of you every time I look at it,” said Rowling.

In another post, J.K. Rowling called out transgender activist India Willoughby, who advised “families of trans kids” to “seek out private sources of puberty blockers – which are totally harmless, and approved by countless legit health bodies.”

“If safe for cis kids, they’re safe for trans kids,” asserted Willoughby.

Rowling shared a screenshot of Willoughby’s comments and said in response to them: “Willoughby is propagating dangerous lies. Women who were put on Lupron [a type of hormone-suppressing medication] to delay puberty have suffered long-term harm.”

Maria Caulfield, the U.K. health minister, also celebrated the decision.

“We welcome this landmark decision by the NHS to end the routine prescription of puberty blockers and this guidance which recognizes that care must be based on evidence, expert clinical opinion and in the best interests of the child,” said Caulfield.

https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2024/03/18/j-k-rowling-shreds-puberty-blockers-after-u-k-ban-well-funded-lobbying-groups-drunk-on-their-own-power/

Armed Police Shut Off Power and Remove Conservative Activist Martin Sellner Before Lecture in Switzerland (Video)

Martin Sellner being removed from speech by police./Image: @Martin_Sellner/X

Conservative activist Martin Sellner, of Génération Identitaire, was prevented from giving a speech at an event in Switzerland addressing the dangers of European nations taking in migrants.

Sellner shared on X that he had been invited by a local group, Junge Tat (Young Deed), to “talk about remigration and the ethnic vote” and what happened at a recent meeting in Germany.

Award winning fish and chip shop ordered to remove ‘Great British’ Union flag mural by local council

London Assembly candidate and Parliamentary candidate for Eltham and Chislehurst Mark Simpson with Golden Chippy’s owner Chris Kanizi/Image: @RealMGSimpson/X

However, nearby residents have spoken out in favour of the mural, with one even telling GB News that it reminded them of a Banksy painting.

One resident said: “It doesn’t offend me at all. It’s a fish and chip shop isn’t it? I’ve got nothing against it. It’s just a part of the advertising.”

Another said: “I think it’s quite good and quite beautiful. It shows the flag of Great Britain and I think that’s good. I don’t think they should take it down.”

One other passer-by added: “I think its fantastic artwork. I really like it, it reminds me of Banksy. If it was a Banksy there, then they wouldn’t complain. So why can’t other artists who do fantastic artwork like that also have the opportunity to lighten up the streets joyfully.”

It is not the first time Kanizi, who arrived in the UK in 1977 from northern Cyprus, has fallen foul of Greenwich council with his zeal for celebrating fish and chips.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Golden+Chippy/

In 2016, the town hall ordered him to remove a much larger sign, about 17 feet high, featuring a very similar design, from above the door.

He told The Telegraph: “It’s just something to put a smile on people’s faces. But the council said ‘this is a preservation area – you can’t have that and you’ve got to paint over it.’ They also said people had been complaining, but I don’t believe that. Everyone who has talked to me say they love it.

“I’m going to stick it out for as long as I can…they haven’t given me a date to paint over it yet, but they will. I’ve got so many international customers. They all like taking a photo with the mural in the background.”

A Greenwich council spokesman said: “Following a number of complaints made to local ward councillors, an enforcement case was raised about the mural in question.

“Our Planning Enforcement team is investigating this as it is effectively an unauthorised advert for the chip shop. The owner has agreed to paint over it.

“We will always try to negotiate with the owner before proceeding to a formal planning enforcement notice.”

https://www.gbnews.com/news/london-news-greenwich-fish-and-chip-shop-union-jack-mural-remove

Bangladesh: Mob attacks Hindu man for keeping his shop open during Ramazan, victim injured with sharp weapon

On Friday (15th March), Islamists attacked a Hindu man named Rajiv Kumar Dey for keeping his shop open during the daytime in the month of Ramzan. The incident took place in Sylhet city of Bangladesh.

As per reports, the accused was identified as Sohail Hassan. He is said to be a member of the Chhatra League (the student wing of the Sheikh Hasina-led-Awami League government).

The victim ran a small shop near the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital (SOMCH). Rajiv Kumar Dey was asked to pay chada (money) by Sohail Hassan and his accomplice from the start of Ramzan but he refused to give in to their demands.

Injured Rajiv Kumar Dey lying on hospital bed, image via Sylhet Today 24

The victim continued to run his business but put up a curtain outside his shop for the sake of Roja (fasting observed by Muslims during Ramzan). He said that he wanted to cater to the Hindu patients who visited the nearby hospital during the daytime.

In the evenings, Rajiv Kumar Dey would also sell iftari (food consumed during iftar) to his Muslim customers. On Friday (15th March) afternoon, Sohail Hassan and his accomplice went to the victim’s shop and accused him of hurting religious sentiments during Ramzan.

They also told him that a Hindu man could not sell iftari to Muslims. The Islamists then attacked Rajiv Kumar Dey with a sharp weapon and vandalised his shop.

The victim was later admitted to the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital. The brutal attack resulted in 18 stitches on his head. During the unprovoked attack, Sohail and his men also looted the cashbox.

“They broke my cashbox and took money,” the victim lamented. His employee at the shop was also hurt during the attack. On learning about the matter, a police team lead by Officer-in-charge (OC) Mohammad Moinuddin reached the crime scene. A police case has not been registered so far in connection to the case.

This is however not the first time that a member of the Chhatra League has resorted to persecution of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. In January this year, it came to light that the convenor of the Chhatra League at the Kachua Government Bangabandhu Degree College, Ibrahim Miya, usurped the land of a Hindu family in the Basabaria village of Bangladesh.

https://www.opindia.com/2024/03/hindu-man-attacked-in-sylhet-bangladesh-ramzan-sohail-hassan-accused/