Monthly Archives: May 2021

Home page - Freedom Federal Credit Union

Important Information Regarding Lobby Availability, Effective June 1, 2021.

Freedom to Open New Branch in Baltimore County. For More Information, Please Read the Press Release.

Wave good-bye to debt in 2021 with two great debt management options from Freedom. 0% APR Visa Balance Transfers and a NEW low 4.99% Rate on Debt Consolidation Loans!

Live More. Do More. Earn 3.00% APY on balances up to $10,000 with a FREE Empower Checking account. A worry free way to save big.

Whatever the situation, Freedom is committed to providing the support you need to see you through. As Low As 4.99% APR and deferred payments up to 90 Days.

Take 2.00% off your current auto loan rate. Save hundreds or even thousands over the life of your loan. No payments up to 90 days!

Freedom is pleased to offer financial planning and wealth management services through our trusted partner, The Kelly Group.

Freedom now offers all personal and business Debit cards with Contactless tap-and-go technology, and a sleek new design.

Freedoms Card Manager is a free mobile app that gives you advanced control, convenience, and security over your Freedom debit and credit cards, right from your smartphone or tablet.

News and Community Impact

SPECIAL

Military families who add a new membership are eligible to receive a $50 Bonus deposited into their share savings account through June 30, 2 ...

NEWS

Our credit cards are no longer our best kept secret. Cardrates.com recently published a feature story about Freedom's great card offerings, ...

NEWS

Catch up on the latest news and promotions from Freedom in our member e-Newsletter. Don't miss your chance to win a $25 e-gift card just fo ...

NEWS

Freedom membership is now open to businesses and any individuals who live, work, worship, volunteer, attend school, or have family in Harfor ...

NEWS

BadCredit.org recently profiled how Freedom Federal Credit Union helps families struggling with Debt ...

NEWS

Freedom introduces a newly revamped financial program exclusively for educators ...

Mobile Deposit is Super Convenient

Wave good-bye to debt in 2021 with two great debt management options from Freedom. 0% APR Visa Balance Transfers and a NEW low 4.99% Rate on Debt Consolidation Loans!

Live More. Do More. Earn 3.00% APY on balances up to $10,000 with a FREE Empower Checking account. A worry free way to save big.

Whatever the situation, Freedom is committed to providing the support you need to see you through. As Low As 4.99% APR and deferred payments up to 90 Days.

Take 2.00% off your current auto loan rate. Save hundreds or even thousands over the life of your loan. No payments up to 90 days!

Freedom is pleased to offer financial planning and wealth management services through our trusted partner, The Kelly Group.

Freedom now offers personal and business Debit cards with Contactless tap-and-go technology, and a sleek new design.

Freedoms Card Manager is a free mobile app that gives you advanced control, convenience, and security over your Freedom debit and credit cards, right from your smartphone or tablet.

Whenever I stop into my neighborhood Freedom FCU I feel like I'm visiting my family. There is always a familiar face to greet me. I love it and would never think of banking anywhere else at this time.

- Patricia I.

News and Community Impact

SPECIAL

Military families who add a new membership are eligible to receive a $50 Bonus deposited into their share savings account through June 30, 2 ...

NEWS

Our credit cards are no longer our best kept secret. Cardrates.com recently published a feature story about Freedom's great card offerings, ...

NEWS

Catch up on the latest news and promotions from Freedom in our member e-Newsletter. Don't miss your chance to win a $25 e-gift card just fo ...

NEWS

Freedom membership is now open to businesses and any individuals who live, work, worship, volunteer, attend school, or have family in Harfor ...

NEWS

BadCredit.org recently profiled how Freedom Federal Credit Union helps families struggling with Debt ...

NEWS

Freedom introduces a newly revamped financial program exclusively for educators ...

Ready to Belong To Something Special?

Prefer not to apply online? Stop by one our five branches throughout Harford County, email us, or call 1-800-440-4120

Please view our member communication about the new branch coming to Perry Hall/White Marsh.

By clicking this link, you are leaving Freedom Federal Credit Unions website and entering a web site hosted by another party. We do not operate or own this site, nor are we responsible for its content. Please remember that when you leave our site, our privacy policy is no longer in effect. Once you visit another site, your web privacy and security is defined by that websites own policies. Please review the privacy and security policies of the site you are entering as they may differ from the policies of Freedom Federal Credit Union.

CancelAccept

Go here to see the original:

Home page - Freedom Federal Credit Union

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Freedom RV has been family owned and operated for over 47 years working hard 7 days a week to bring the Tuscon,Arizona area the best RVs in the business and superior RV service! We pride ourselves with offering the highestlevel of customer satisfaction to every customer through our friendly, no-pressure sales staff and certifiedRV technicians.

Freedom RV is the only dealer in Tucson that offers multiple locations for the convenience of our customers. We proudlycarry an extensive range of inventory from Class A, Class B and Class C to toy haulers from industry-leading manufacturerssuch as Forest River RV, Keystone RV, Riverside RV, Coachmen, Newmar and Roadtrek.

Whether if it is a new RVor used RV or attention from our state-of-the-art service and parts department you are searchingfor, we encourage you to come visit us at Freedom RV where the customer is always treated like family!"

Continued here:

RV Sales, Parts & Service | New & Used RVs | Arizona RV Dealer

Metroplitan Opera House performer and Dare County native Tshombe Selby will perform a free outdoor Juneteenth concert to celebrate anniversary of the end of slavery in America at The Cookhouse Museum in Manteo on June 19 at 5 p.m.

The Pea Island Preservation Society honors the history of Captain Richard Etheridge, who grew up enslaved on Roanoke Island and became the nations first African station keeper in the U.S. Life-Saving Service. The historic all-black station he commanded, Station Pea Island, is the only station in the history of the LSS with an all-black crew.

Selby will sing spirituals and other songs to highlight freedom, in collaboration with the Don and Catherine Bryan Cultural Series and with support from Towne Bank, Island Xpertees and Outer Banks Dreams Realty.

The Cookhouse Museum is located at 622 Sir Walter Raleigh Street in Manteo.

See original here:

Tshombe Selby to perform The Sounds Of Freedom on Juneteenth at Cookhouse Museum - OBXToday.com

Video: What is freedom? | Observation Post

Writer Sebastian Junger, author of well known works on war and the bonds of military members, takes a look at the concept of freedom in his latest book, and discusses how he thinks his new work relates to the service members today.

Sign up for the Early Bird Brief Get the military's most comprehensive news and information every morning

Enter a valid email address

Enter a valid email address (please select a country) United States United Kingdom Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, The Democratic Republic of The Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and Mcdonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

Subscribe

Thanks for signing up!

See more here:

Video: What is freedom? | Observation Post - Military Times

As the Memorial Day holiday (and, as tradition holds, summer vacation, generally) approaches, weve asked readers to weigh in on the best song(s) foror about retirement. This year is a bit different, of courseso this year were looking for something just a little bit different as well.

As you may recall, weve done this for several years nowand each year has brought together a different playlist. So, as you crank up the tunesin your car or personal listening device, out by the pool or as you fire up the grill, this week we wanted to give you a chance to think aboutand rankthe best song(s) about retirement.

Now, in fairness, weve positioned this question a little differently each year.[i]Theres been the best song about retirement, the best theme song for retirement, the best retirement anthem, the best retirement songand last year, just a couple of months into the pandemic lockdown, I referred to it as music to get through this.

A year later, we have vaccines, encouraging guidance from the CDC about the efficacy of those vaccines, andeven if concerns linger for some, and worries about variants and boosters still lurkwell, for most it seems that theres light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel.

So this yearand with an acknowledgement of a column I penned a few weeks backwere looking to put together a playlist of songs that are about (financial) freedomwhether that be retirement, or just the freedom to live and pursue your lifes dream(s).

So, cmoncheck out this weeks NAPA-Net Reader Poll athttps://www.research.net/r/freedomsongs21.

And, of course, well have the playlist all ready for you in time for the three-day weekend!

[i]In fact, this particular reader poll was one of the top clicked-onstoriesof 2020!

Originally posted here:

Picking the Best Financial Freedom Anthem - National Association of Plan Advisors

Pandemic life has put an emphasis on freedom.

Whether it was in the form of disgruntled anti-maskers complaining about their right being violated, or it was the cautiously quarantined longing for a return to better times, the past year has laid bare our often divergent ideas of what it means to be free.

These disparities are at the core of Freedom, the new book from Sebastian Junger. While the book is, on its surface, an account of a nearly yearlong trek on foot across the northeastern United States, its essence is its exploration of humanitys conceptualizations of independence, liberty and self-determination. Mixing history, memoir and philosophy, Junger actually never intended to write about the 400-mile trip at all.

I was thinking to myself, how am I going to write a book about freedom without it being this unbearable philosophical tract, says Junger, who spent nearly a year walking from Washington, D.C., to western Pennsylvania almost a decade ago. So inevitably I thought, Whats the freest Ive ever been? Of course, it depends on how you define it, but by the definition I use in the book that for miles we were the only people who knew where we were every night thats not a bad definition of freedom.

At the time of the journey, Junger was already an accomplished author and journalist, having penned bestsellers such as The Perfect Storm and A Death in Belmont, as well as working as a war correspondent for Vanity Fair and ABC. The original concept of the trip came in the fall of 2008 when Junger was traveling by train with photojournalist Tim Hetherington. Junger recounts wondering what it would be like to live as a somewhat vagrant along the railroads that crisscross across the U.S. The two had spent plenty of time together walking for hours while working on Restrepo, their documentary about the Afghanistan war.

I mentioned to him at the time that theres a way to walk along this entire thing. Theres always a dirt bike trail or a cornfield or a maintenance road, whatever it is, you can stitch together a route through the entire thing, Junger says. And so I told him that maybe we should walk from D.C. to New York sometime when we were done with the movie.

Unfortunately, Hetherington was killed while covering the Libyan uprising in 2011. Junger still felt compelled to take the trip, however, and recruited a few friends to come along. He did no research on how to travel up to 30 miles a day on foot and says he simply loaded up a backpack and took the train to Union Station in Washington, D.C., and began walking. And while he says he constantly thought about giving up, he soon found something of a rhythm.

Theres no way to carry that much weight for that far and not wrestle with that inner voice saying, Come on, you dont need to do this. Just stop, Junger says. Its just part of doing something thats physically hard. You just figure out a way to negotiate with that voice or ignore it.

Freedom, by Sebastian Junger.

(Simon & Schuster)

Readers whove enjoyed classics such as Henry David Thoreaus Walden or Jack Kerouacs On the Road will certainly find something worthwhile within Jungers journey. And while Freedom has much more in common stylistically to modern classics such as Jon Krakauers Into the Wild or Bill Brysons A Walk in the Woods, those books often used the journeys encounters as a convenient jumping-off point for the author to contemplate their own existence. Conversely, Junger spends the majority of his time contemplating larger existential questions that not only affect him, but all of humanity.

When youre documenting human events, it often requires 300 pages or so to do it adequately. But my last two books, Tribe and this book, are about an idea. I dont have to cover a certain amount of human territory to get the story told, Junger says. The more succinct you can be, the better people can absorb that idea.

The book is split into three parts Run, Fight and Think that, for Junger, are the three concepts that are at the core of what it means to be free.

If someone is going to oppress you, you can run away from them. And if you cant run away from them, then you outfight them. And if you cant outfight them, then youll have to outthink them. And if you cant do that, youre not free. Game over, Junger explains.

Still, Junger weaves in broad and complicated topics into the narrative and does so in an accessible way. He doesnt get bogged down in the minutiae of the history of the region, nor does he meander or ramble when reflecting on his own existential dilemmas. He is concise and focused, but still manages to be both informative and vulnerable.

The poor have always walked and the desperate have always slept outside, Junger writes early in the book. We were neither, but we were still doing something that felt ancient and hard. Most Americans did not own a car until after World War Two, and traveling often meant walking out your front door.

I mostly thought that it was a way to encounter my country and encounter myself in the most raw, unfiltered fashion possible. Junger says. It wasnt therapy, it wasnt all the things you think it might be, it really was an attempt to understand something about myself and my country.

When taken together, Tribe and Freedom do seem to be thematic companions. Asked whether he sees the books as being related or even as part of a trilogy, Junger says he wants to continue exploring dense ideas. A recent health scare has him already thinking about another book, one where hed like to explore mortality itself.

So I think the last thing that is important to the human experience is life itself and how the dying process unfolds, Junger says. So Im going to write a book called Pulse about what keeps us alive and what happens when that stops.

Junger laughs and then adds, another short book on a broad topic.

When: 4 p.m. Thursday, May 27

Where: Ticketed virtual event through Warwicks

Tickets: $5-$33.50

Online: warwicks.com

Freedom by Sebastian Junger (Simon & Schuster; 2021; 160 pages)

Combs is a freelance writer.

Read the rest here:

Walking the line: Sebastian Junger in search of 'Freedom' - The San Diego Union-Tribune

ul > li { margin-left: 0 !important; } .td_block_template_2 .td-block-title { font-size: 17px; font-weight: 500; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 16px; line-height: 31px; text-align: left; } .td_block_template_2 .td-block-title > * { color: #000; } .td_block_template_2 .td-related-title a { padding: 0 20px 0 0; } @media (max-width: 767px) { .td_block_template_2 .td-related-title a { font-size: 15px; } } .td_block_template_2 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item { color: #4db2ec; }/* inline tdc_css att */.tdi_75{margin-bottom:0px !important;}]]> *:before,body .tdi_75.td_block_template_17 .td-block-title:after,body .tdi_75.td_block_template_13 .td-block-subtitle,body .tdi_75.td_block_template_9 .td-block-title:after{ right: 0; left: 0;}body .tdi_75.td_block_template_5 .td-block-title > *{ border-width: 0 0 0 4px;}body .tdi_75.td_block_template_8 .td-block-title > *{padding-left: 20px;padding-right: 20px;}]]>404 Page Not Found

Sorry, we couldn't find what you were looking for however, you can...

ul > li { margin-left: 0 !important; } .td_block_template_8 .td-block-title { font-size: 20px; font-weight: 800; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 18px; line-height: 29px; position: relative; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; } .td_block_template_8 .td-block-title > * { position: relative; padding-right: 20px; color: #000; } .td_block_template_8 .td-block-title > *:before, .td_block_template_8 .td-block-title > *:after { content: ''; display: block; height: 4px; position: absolute; top: 50%; margin-top: -2px; width: 2000px; background-color: #f5f5f5; } .td_block_template_8 .td-block-title > *:before { left: 100%; } .td_block_template_8 .td-block-title > *:after { right: 100%; } @media (max-width: 767px) { .td_block_template_8 .td-related-title a { font-size: 15px; } } .td_block_template_8 .td-related-title a:before { display: none; } .td_block_template_8 .td-related-title a:first-child:after { display: none; } .td_block_template_8 .td-related-title a:last-child:after { left: 100%; right: auto; } .td_block_template_8 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item { color: #4db2ec; } .tdi_77 .td-block-title > *:before, .tdi_77 .td-block-title > *:after { background-color: #f4f4f4 !important; }/* inline tdc_css att */.tdi_77{margin-top:30px !important;margin-bottom:0px !important;}]]> *:before,body .tdi_77.td_block_template_17 .td-block-title:after,body .tdi_77.td_block_template_13 .td-block-subtitle,body .tdi_77.td_block_template_9 .td-block-title:after{ right: 0; left: 0;}body .tdi_77.td_block_template_5 .td-block-title > *{ border-width: 0 0 0 4px;}body .tdi_77.td_block_template_8 .td-block-title > *{padding-left: 20px;padding-right: 20px;}]]>Seek what you need

See the rest here:

Review: MISTER MIRACLE: THE SOURCE OF FREEDOM Tries To Escape From It's Own Mess - Monkeys Fighting Robots

The City of South Fultons Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs will observe Juneteenth with a series of events in a themed celebration entitled, Forward to Freedom.

The Forward to Freedom Juneteenth celebration runs from Tuesday, June 15 to Saturday, June 19. The events will include a Freedom Film Festival June 15, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; United Tot Olympics June 16, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Old National Park; a quilt festival, Feeding Our City food distribution, a Community Giveback event held at various locations, throughout the city.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was June 19 that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

This was two and a half years after President Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation which had become official Jan. 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Grangers regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.

The celebration of June 19 was coined "Juneteenth" and grew with more participation from descendants.

Juneteenth is a significant day in American history, Mayor William Bill Edwards said. This day deserves special recognition and South Fulton families will have an array of events to choose from to celebrate.

Patrons can enjoy the Freedom Film Festivals main feature film, "The Retrieval." Directed by Chris Eska, the film centers around Will, a Black youth during the American Civil War, and Nate a Black Union soldier who is the target of bounty hunters.

Juel D. Lanes The Maestro is a short film inspired by painter Ernie Barnes. Told through dance, it offers a positive depiction of a Black man taking charge of his own destiny. Kaleb Mitchell will present his work, An Open Letter to My Skin, a poetic film combining the art of spoken word and music to tell the story of the complexities of his complexion.

We are working overtime to make the Forward to Freedom Juneteenth celebration a special occasion for residents of all ages, parks, recreation and cultural affairs director Tony Philips said.

The celebration will culminate with a Freedom Finale Concert in partnership with St. James Live on Juneteenth, 7p.m. to 10 p.m. at Wilkerson Farris-Mill Park. PRCA will announce the artists scheduled to perform on the city website in June.

More:

Forward to Freedom: City of South Fulton celebrating Juneteenth with events - MDJOnline.com

Cisco Systems, a multinational technology company will give $150 million to the Student Freedom Initiative (SFI) to aid historically Black colleges and universities.

The Student Freedom Initiative is a nonprofit assisting students of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and HBCUs by providing income-contingent funding for students enrolled at HBCUs and MSIs.

The money will be split in two ways: $100 million will go to networking and security upgrades including ongoing technical support and advancements to HBCU information technology infrastructure provided by American Virtual Cloud (AVC).

The remaining $50 million will allow for the financing of the education of 500 HBCU students every year. The program, known as the Student Freedom Agreement will cover a students remaining costs after federal aid and could serve as an alternative to private student loans.

Robert Smith, who founded the SFI, said in a statement the collaboration and Ciscos financial commitment will free minority students from crushing student loan debt. Each student will receive up to $20,000 and there is no obligation for students to pay the funds back.

Their expertise and generosity will ensure that HBCUs are secure and robust institutions that empower Black students, Smith said in a statement. And Ciscos added financial commitment to students, making them the first anchor corporate partner of SFI, will help liberate students from crushing debt and allow them to make their own life choices.

Student Loan Debt ($1.57 trillion) is the fourth-highest debt Americans carry after personal debt, auto debt, and credit card debt. For Black Americans and minitories, taking out student loans to go to college can follow you for the rest of your life. A 2016 Brookings Institute study shows Black college graduates typically owe $7,400 more than white graduates upon finishing a bachelors program.

SFI will launch the programs this fall and Cisco COO Maria Martinez said the investment will ensure the success and financial freedom for HBCU and MSI students.

This partnership is an investment in our future workforce, empowering AA/Black STEM students and equipping them with the financial and technology tools to be resilient and successful long term, Martinez, said in a statement. We remain committed to this communityto be seen, heard, valued, and invested in.

Read the original post:

Cisco Will Donate $150 Million To The Robert F. Smith Student Freedom Initiative To Help HBCU Students - Black Enterprise

Last week,I was installed as the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem. On my first day in this new job, I did not expect my main concern to be whether my family got home safely. My family had travelled from my hometown in Galilee to St. Georges Cathedral in Jerusalem for the service. As anyone who has opened a newspaper could have guessed, the backdrop for this celebration was the worst intercommunal violence in a generation.

In mixed cities all over the country, radicals took to the street in search of violence. People have been pulled from their cars and beaten, merely on the suspicion that they belonged to the wrong group or community. We are witnessing places of worship being attacked and torched. Everyone is frightened. To get home, my family had to navigate violent groups and a heavily armed police force. My mind would not rest until I heard that they had returned safely, and thank God, they did.

Some were surprised that the installation service went ahead, given the seriousness of the current situation. But the church was adamant that it should. This tells us something about the ministry of the churches in the Holy Land. We trace our roots to the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Like him, we are called to faithful presence in troubling times.

Christians have worshipped here since the time of the Romans. The centuries since have taught us that empires rise, and empires fall. Our land has been governed by leaders from all three of the Abrahamic faiths, and though it all, we have continued to walk the streets where Christ walked. It is unsurprising then, that the installment, and the surrounding celebrations, went ahead as planned. This is just the latest example of faithful presence in difficult days. Yet another attempt to shine a light into the darkness.

In these dark days, it is more important than ever that the church continues to thrive in the Holy Land. However, our presence should not be taken for granted. The Christian community is all too often forgotten in negotiations about the future of these lands. The political climate is increasingly hostile, and attacks on Christian places of worship and holy sites are sadly common. Influential radical groups see no place for Christians in the Holy Land and are explicit in their intention to drive us out. These same groups are behind the move to evict families from their homes just a stones throw from our cathedral, in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem. Those actions did much to spark the terrible surge in violence that we now see nightly on TV screens around the world.

If these events teach us anything, its that religious freedom isnt just a right for the benefit and liberty of private individuals; it is a fundamental issue of international peace and security. When freedom of religion is repressed, when religious communities are not protected from radical groups, when churches are desecrated and freedom of worship restricted, it undermines not just the dignity of individuals but the very fabric of our societies.

Having studied in Washington, D.C., I have long appreciated the faithful presence of different U.S. administrations and organizations in the promotion of international religious freedoms. The International Religious Freedom Roundtable, which meets alternately in Congress and the State Department, has inspired the creation of similar forums all over the world. I look forward to coming to Washington as soon as circumstances allow to join these conversations and share our own lessons from here in the Holy Land.

Right now, the people of the Holy Land need the prayers and support of our international friends more than ever. The violence and manifestations of hatred that we have all witnessed in the last couple of weeks have deepened our desperation. We all fear for the future.

People are tired, frustrated, and increasingly hopeless. But I could not have taken this assignment without hope. Hope is our business. By maintaining a faithful presence in the Holy Land, we work to bring the reconciliation and healing that our communities crave. We cannot do this alone, and we certainly cannot do this if we are no longer present.

Hosam Naoum is the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem.

Read the original post:

Religious freedom essential to achieving peace in the Holy Land | TheHill - The Hill