Recently in Religion Category

A Santeria priest is suing a Dallas suburb to keep officials from enforcing ordinances he believes restrict him from practicing his religion.

In a federal suit, Jose Merced alleges that Euless city officials denied him a permit to perform Santeria ceremonies with animal sacrifices inside his home, even though people outside would not have been able to see or hear them.

The 45-year-old Merced insists that blood sacrifices of animals are essential to practicing Santeria, a religion that mixes Roman Catholicism with African beliefs.

Police have gone to his home at least four times in the past two years, citing complaints from a neighbor over animal slaughter.

http://www.local6.com/family/10623513/detail.html

Since the heathens who read this site would find themselves tossed out of these vacation spots quicker than Joesph Goebbels at a bar mitzvah, I’ve taken it upon myself to show you how the other half has fun. Here then is a list sure to open your ears and convert your souls.

Top 10 Christian Tourist Traps

This handout image from the Churches Advertising Network (CAN) shows an image of Jesus Christ in the froth of an almost empty pint of beer. The image is to be used as an advert to encourage more Britons to go to church this Christmas, it has been announced.(Churches Advertising Network)

Read more: In the name of the lager...beer used in British church ad campaign - Yahoo! News

Click to watch...

A man claims his life improved after finding a rock that looks like Jesus.

A piece of chocolate, which some believe bears a resemblance to the Virgin Mary, is seen at Bodega Chocolates in Fountain Valley, Calif., Thursday, Aug 17, 2006. Workers at the luxury chocolate company discovered the 2-inch-tall column of chocolate drippings under one of their vats. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Read more: Workers discover chocolate Virgin Mary - Yahoo! News

One of them is the weakest disciple and who better to find out than Anne Robinson. I am sooo going to hell.

TEHRAN (AFP) - An international contest of cartoons on the Holocaust opened in Tehran in response to the publication in Western papers last September of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed.

"We staged this fair to explore the limits of freedom Westerners believe in," Masoud Shojai, head of the country's "Iran Cartoon" association and the fair organizer, said.

"They can freely write anything they like about our prophet, but if one raises doubts about the Holocaust he is either fined or sent to prison," he added.

Read more: Holocaust cartoon fair opens in Iran - Yahoo! News

THE ATHEIST

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods. "What majestic trees!
What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself. As
he continued walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the
bushes. Turning to look, he saw a 7 foot grizzly charging towards him. He ran
as fast as he could up the path. Looking over his shoulder he saw that the
bear was closing in on him. His heart was pumping frantically and he
tried to run even faster. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled
over to pick himself up but saw the bear raising his paw to take a
swipe at him.

At that instant the atheist cried out: "Oh my God.... !" Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. It was then that a bright light shone upon the man and a voice came outof the sky saying:
"You deny my existence for all of these years, teach others I don't
exist and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you
expect me to help you out of this predicament?
Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheist looked directly into the light and said:
"It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a
Christian now, but perhaps, could you make the BEAR a Christian?"

"Very well," said the voice.

The light went out, and the sounds of the forest resumed. And then the bear lowered his paw, bowed his head and spoke:
"Lord, bless this food which I am about to receive and for which I am
truly thankful, Amen. "

Sophisticated graffiti artists have left their mark near downtown Houston.

Someone covered up a billboard on La Branch at Winbern with a poster featuring a picture of Jesus Christ holding a Budweiser can. The company that leases the billboard believes vandals made the poster at home and then pasted it on top of the ad that's supposed to be there.

It shows Jesus holding a Budweiser in between the phrases "Jesus, King of Jews" and "Jesus, King of Beers."

"I thought that was just crazy," said commuter Jose Cazares. "It looks professional too."

Neighbors say the billboard has been up there for a week or more.

The divine Trinity -- "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" -- could also be known as "Mother, Child and Womb" or "Rock, Redeemer, Friend" at some Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) services under an action Monday by the church's national assembly.

Delegates to the meeting voted to "receive" a policy paper on gender-inclusive language for the Trinity, a step short of approving it. That means church officials can propose experimental liturgies with alternative phrasings for the Trinity, but congregations won't be required to use them.

"This does not alter the church's theological position, but provides an educational resource to enhance the spiritual life of our membership," legislative committee chair Nancy Olthoff, an Iowa laywoman, said during Monday's debate on the Trinity.

The assembly narrowly defeated a conservative bid to refer the paper back for further study.

A panel that worked on the issue since 2000 said the classical language for the Trinity should still be used, but added that Presbyterians also should seek "fresh ways to speak of the mystery of the triune God" to "expand the church's vocabulary of praise and wonder."

The Rev. Deborah Funke of Montana warned that the paper would be "theologically confusing and divisive" at a time when the denomination of 2.3 million members faces other troublesome issues.

On Tuesday, the assembly will vote on a proposal to give local congregations and regional "presbyteries" some leeway on ordaining clergy and lay officers living in gay relationships.

http://www.local6.com/family/9393768/detail.html

A church-produced film about a school whose losing football team is turned around after the coach turns to God has been slapped with a "PG" rating -- for being too religious.

The Rev. Alex Kendrick, who directed and stars in "Facing the Giants," said it was produced for only $100,000 by using members of his Georgia church for both cast and crew.

Kendrick said when he sought permission to use a song by the Christian band "Third Day," their record label's parent company, Sony Pictures, asked to see the film and agreed to release it in 400 theaters in late September.

But after the Motion Picture Association of America rated the film, Kendrick said he was told that it got the 'Parental Guidance' rating for being so openly religious. Kendrick said he's never heard of that criteria before and suggests it shows how much times have changed.

http://www.wftv.com/entertainment/9345622/detail.html

The most expensive piece of bread in the world was on display in front of Miami Ink Tattoo Studio on Friday while the woman who sold it for a whopping $28,000 prepared to have its controversial image permanently placed on her body.

Diana Duyser gained national attention when she auctioned off her grilled cheese sandwich that she claimed resembled the face of the Virgin Mary on eBay. GoldenPalace.com purchased the sandwich, which sold for a record $28,000.

"It's Publix bread and Land O'Lakes cheese," Duyser said.

Friday, Duyser, representatives from GoldenPalace.com and the sandwich, enclosed in a bulletproof glass case, made an appearance on South Beach, where Duyser was getting a tattoo of the image near her heart. Amazingly, the more-than-10-year-old sandwich showed little sign of aging.

"We've done nothing to keep it fresh," said Jon Wolf with GoldenPalace.com. "The case isn't sealed. The framing isn't sealed and the plastic case that it's in inside is not sealed. That, we think, is the most miraculous thing about it."

But not everyone is convinced.

"I think it looks a little like Janet Jackson, a little like Michelle Pfeiffer," Luis Hernandez said. "…I don't see the Virgin Mary."

The tattoo costs about $1,000, but Duyser isn't footing the bill. Instead, the company that bought the sandwich is.

"We all believe in certain things, OK, and this is what I believe in, and this is what I want near and close to my heart," Duyser said. "She'll be there forever."

http://www.local6.com/news/9319792/detail.html

The Rev. Pat Robertson says God has told him that storms and possibly a tsunami will hit America's coastline this year.

The founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network has told viewers of "The 700 Club" that the revelations came to him during his annual personal prayer retreat in January.

"If I heard the Lord right about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms," Robertson said May 8.

He added specifics in Wednesday's show.

"There well may be something as bad as a tsunami in the Pacific Northwest," he said.

Robertson has come under intense criticism in recent months for suggesting that U.S. agents should assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine retribution for Israel's pullout from the Gaza Strip.

http://www.wftv.com/news/9235304/detail.html

A fish with markings that resembled a Koranic text has been found by Kenyan officials after vanishing from the fisheries office where it was stored.

The tuna fish, which had provoked intense interest from Muslims, had apparently been stolen by people posing as National Museum officials.

The fish was found at the shop where it had first come to public attention. The fish was being studied to find out if the Arabic inscription "You are the best provider" was natural or a hoax. Sceptics say the writing was the work of someone who caught the fish and then threw it back into the sea. But others say this would be impossible, and local imams are said to have been talking in the mosques about the fish.

It had been caught by fisherman Said Ali at the end of last week at Vanga, a small fishing port on the Kenyan coast, 50km south of Mombasa.

The reported theft followed numerous attempts by locals and Muslim scholars to buy the mysterious fish. An official at the fisheries department in Mombasa said someone had even offered to pay as much as $150.

Under normal circumstances the fish would fetch not more than $6.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4995100.stm

A Munich court is rejected a call by the German city's archdiocese to ban MTVs airing of the cartoon "Popetown."

It said the Vatican parody is "too dumb to be insulting."

Amid the outcry to air the cartoon, particularly from conservative and heavily Catholic Bavaria, the music TV network said last week it would broadcast only the first episode, then consider public reaction before deciding to air more.

But the Munich archdiocese rejected the concession, instead asking the Munich regional court to ban the program on the grounds it is disparaging to Christianity.

The show features corrupt cardinals, a buxom nun and an infantile pope who bounces around the Vatican on a pogo stick.

The British Broadcasting Corp. originally commissioned the program but decided in 2004 not to show it after protests from church leaders. It was screened last year in New Zealand, despite a church-led campaign against the broadcaster.

In its ruling, the Munich court said though the program has provoked "various reactions" it hasn't risen to the level of disturbing the public peace, which it would have to do to warrant a ban.

http://www.wftv.com/entertainment/9159240/detail.html

Heather Veitch, pictured, a tall, shapely blonde, made a career out of baring it all at strip clubs. Now when she walks in a club, it is just to deliver her naked truth about God.(AFP/File/Getty/Ethan Miller)

Read more: Ex-stripper does new turn -- in missionary position - Yahoo! News

This is the second largest church day for many fair-weather church goers (second only to Christmas in the Christian church), regular parishoners, and bible thumpers alike.

Happy Easter everybody:

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/OHMONjesus.html

This is one of the most critical and important days in the Christian belief system. The crux of the Christian faith relies on Jesus being killed. The following site is interesting in the way that it explains how crucifixion impacted the body:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/jesus/crucifixion.html

I'm sure most everybody has heard of Good Friday and Easter. But most people do not know what Maunday Thursday is. Does anyone remember the Mammas and the Pappas? They had a sony called "Monday, Monday". Originally, they had intended on naming the song "Maunday, Maunday" - but producers worried that the song would be a flop if people knew that it had religious roots and meaning:

Maunday means something to the affect of mournful. Maunday Thursday is a remembrance of Jesus' last supper with the 12, His weeping blood in the Garden of Gesthemane, and betrayal before being scurged and crucified. Many churches do not have services today. It may be do to Passover falling on the same day.

For those of you who don't know, Passover is a remembrance of the 10th and final plague called down upon Paharoh Ramses in Egypt by Moses and Aaron through the power of God. This was the worst plague by far - the 1st born son of every house was killed by the angel of death. The only ones spared were those who put lamb's blood on their door so that death would "pass over" the house and spare the oldest child's life. This event is called an Old Testament Anti-type predicting the death of Jesus later on in the New Testament.

So ends today's religion lesson.

Jesus walked on water, according to the Bible, but a Florida State University professor says he may have actually walked on a hard-to-see patch of ice.

Doron Nof, a professor of oceanography, said a rare combination of water and atmospheric conditions in the Sea of Galilee 2000 years ago may offer a scientific explanation for one of the miracles recounted in the Bible.

Nof said a patch of ice floating in the Sea of Galilee _ which is actually a freshwater lake _ would have been difficult to distinguish from unfrozen water surrounding it.

A Bible publisher has rejected a request by an anti-pornography Internet ministry to put its "Jesus Loves Porn Stars" brand on the covers of the New Testament.

The publisher offered several alternatives, but XXXchurch.com pastors Mike Foster and Craig Gross turned them down.

The duo started the Web site in 2002 to target addiction to Internet pornography. They also take their message directly to the people involved with adult films, regularly handing out Bibles at industry conferences.

"The publisher is hindering the Gospel going forth," said Gross, who argues that the ministry's slogan doesn't suggest Jesus loves pornography.

"Jesus is not OK with it," he said.

The pastors are in talks with other Bible publishers.

http://www.wftv.com/irresistible/8459539/detail.html

Check out the xxx church:

http://xxxchurch.com/

I gave up work!

If you've never heard of them - check out their website. This show is a must see if you love pro-wrestling, strong man competitions, or anything to do with a cool religious message. The best part is that it only costs $2.00 (suggested donation) at the door!

See THE POWER TEAM at 1st Presbyterian Church, 325 E. Downer Place, Aurora, IL
Wednesday 2/22 until Sunday 2/26 starting at 7:00 pm each night

http://www.thepowerteam.com/index.html