Pope Francis: Evolution is Real, God Did not Wave a 'Magic Wand'

Pope Francis says the theories of evolution and the Big Bang are real, and God did not wave a “magic wand” to create the universe.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church said Tuesday that current scientific theories concerning the start of the universe and the development of life are compatible with church doctrines – a landmark declaration for a religion fraught with conflict over literal translations of the Bible.

Speaking at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in Vatican City on Tuesday, Pope Francis urged Roman Catholics to embrace current scientific theories as “required” methods to understand existence. The pope’s suggestions fly in the face of more traditional views that read the Bible as a literal record of the creation and development of the world.

Continued

Australians Captured Fighting for ISIS in Iraq Could Face Death by Hanging

AUSTRALIANS captured fighting for the Islamic State in Iraq will be dealt with under Iraqi law, where the penalty for terrorism offences is death by hanging. 
 
Major General Craig Orme, who is leading the Joint Task Force that has joined the fight against ISIL in Iraq, said that any Australians captured in battle would go into Iraqi hands.
“We’re supporting the Iraqi Security Forces, so if someone was detained on the battlefield, the Iraqis are managing that process,” he said.
The Major General said the Australia military’s Rules of Engagement for the Iraq theatre related only to use the use of lethal force, not the taking of prisoners.

He said detainee management was a separate issue that would be overseen by Iraq, which last year sent a message to insurgents by hanging 42 convicted terrorists over two days and 26 on one day of January this year.
It is highly probable that some of the estimated 60 Australians fighting in Iraq and Syria will either be killed or captured on the battlefield.

See more

More Americans Say Boots Are Needed on the Ground to Fight ISIS

Many believe the air campaign is not enough, a poll finds

More and more Americans say combat ground troops need to be deployed to take the fight to the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), according to a recent poll conducted by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal.
Approximately 41% of Americans surveyed said the military campaign against ISIS should include “air strikes and combat troops,” compared with the 35% who said the offensive should be constrained to aerial bombardments. Of the individuals polled, just 15% said they believed no military action should be taken against the radical Islamist group.
The findings represent a reversal in public opinion since a similar poll was taken in September, when 40% of those surveyed only backed air strikes and 34% were in favor of the use of aerial assaults and combat troops together.
Coalition bombers and fighter jets continued to batter ISIS positions across Iraq and Syria this week. U.S. Central Command confirmed that American aircraft and those from partner nations launched 22 strikes in Syria and at least one aerial assault in Iraq on Tuesday.

Source