In yesterday’s story, the Comito family was shocked (here) when they learned that Robert Comito’s ashes were simply dropped from an airplane without opening the box — landing intact in a crater rather than being elegantly spread in the air. They need to talk to the family of Robert Gowdy to see how it could have been much worst. The family in Phoenix, Arizona is suing the city of Mesa, a funeral home, and other parties after a casket broke during a funeral and allow the corpse to fall into the grave in front of traumatized family members.
Continue reading “A Mesa In Arizona: Family Sues After Corpse Falls Out of Casket Into Grave”
Category: Religion
The Swiss are poised to vote on a disturbing attack on religion: a ban on minarets on mosques used for the adhan (call to prayer). If passed, the referendum this Sunday would be a clear denial of a basic human right for Muslims and an act of popular intolerance against a minority group.
Continue reading “Call to Prejudice: Swiss to Vote on Ban on Mosque Minarets”
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
Continue reading “HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!”
While today is the largest consumption of turkeys in the year, Nepal still holds the record for the largest sacrifice of animals. This week Nepal will carry out the ritualistic slaughter of more than 250,000 animals as part of the blood sacrifice to Gadhimai, a Hindu goddess of power. Most of the killings occur at and around the Gadhimai temple of Bariyapur.
Ali Sibat is a Lebanese citizen who counsels couples and viewers on television, making predictions about their future. Saudi police arrested Sibat when he was visiting Medina last year and accused him of being a sorcerer. He was convicted without a lawyer and sentenced to death.
Reviews can be scathing for new movies, but the producers of New Moon, a vampire film, are being accused of not just robbing viewers of their money, but potentially their souls. The critic in this case is the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Culture and gave the film one thumb down . . . way down.
Continue reading “One Thumb Down, Very Down: Vatican Says New Moon is a Must Miss”
A billboard in Colorado is causing considerable controversy and gives an insight into the radical fringe of America. The billboard by car dealership owner Phil West in Wheat Ridge, Colorado combines the “birther” controversy with the suggestion that Obama is both a Muslim and a terrorist. It further makes the bizarre connection to Fort Hood — suggesting that Obama could at any time go on a shooting spree in the West Wing.
It appears that Barbie has found religion. After rebelling with Harley Davidson Barbie and bikini Barbie. There is even an S & M Barbie in all leather and fishnet stockings. Now, however, there is Burka Barbie.
President Barack Obama made an surprising concession, long sought by the Chinese government, in his recent visit to China. While largely ignored by most reporters covering the speech, Obama stated the following: “We did note that while we recognize that Tibet is part of the People’s Republic of China, the United States supports the early resumption of dialogue between the Chinese government and representatives of the Dalai Lama to resolve any concerns and differences that the two sides may have.”
When Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari was being beaten and interrogated for 118 days as an accused spy he expected death but not the Daily Show. During his beatings, the Iranian interrogator played a segment from John Stewart’s Daily Show under the apparent belief that it is a real news program and revealed Bahari’s spy activities.
Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin has publicly asked Rep. Patrick Kennedy to stop taking communion with the Catholic Church due to his support for abortion, confirming that he asked Kennedy to refrain from communion in a private discussion in 2007. The confrontation became public after Kennedy revealed the 2007 conversation. The move could embolden other bishops in barring public officials from the sacrament, particularly in light of the health bill’s protection of abortion services.
Continue reading “Bishop Bars Kennedy From Communion Due To Votes on Abortion”
According to critics, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln has ended its witch hunt. It settled with an unnamed self-described witch who alleged that she was fired after coming out of the figurative broom closet.
Continue reading “Bewitched: University of Nebraska Settles Case With Witch After Preliminary Finding of Discrimination”
The tension between the Church of Scientology and Australian political leaders continued to grow last week. First, there was the allegation of the Church obstructing a criminal investigation, here. Then, there was the call for a criminal investigation of the Church by a powerful member of the legislature, here. Now, educators and parents are outraged over material distributed to elementary children heralding L. Ron Hubbard as one of history’s greatest figures and a symbol of human rights.
Continue reading “Scientology Accused of Spreading Propaganda to Elementary Students in Australia”
Pat Robertson has declared that Islam is not a religion but a “violent political system.” For many, such statements are nothing new from Robertson. However, it was a bit more surprising yesterday to learn that Virginia Governor Elect Bob McDonnell has refused to disavow that view. McDonnell was opposed during the recent campaign for having extreme religious views and close ties to evangelical leaders like Robertson.
Continue reading “Pat Robertson Claims Islam Not Religion — and Virginia Governor-Elect McDonnell Refuses to Disavow Comment”
Conservatives have picked a curious new slogan to oppose President Barack Obama: “Let his days be few; and let another take his office.” It is a quote from Psalm 109:8, but conservatives leave off the full passage: “Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.” It is a damnation or imprecatory prayer.
Continue reading “Psalm Like It Hot: Conservatives Rally Around Psalm 109”