Pope Francis
- Pope Francis calls for decentralisation of Church powers—"Pope Francis has called for power in the Catholic Church to be devolved away from the Vatican, in the first major work he has written in the role."
- Pope Francis Calls Unfettered Capitalism 'A New Tyranny'
- Pope ramps up charity office to be near poor, sick—"Pope Francis has ramped up the Vatican's charity work, sending his chief alms-giver and a contingent of Swiss guards onto the streets of Rome at night to do what he usually can't do: comfort the poor and the homeless." WaPo
- Vatican Hires International Accounting Firm To Get Books in Order
- The PR Guru Behind the Pope Who Is Charming the World—"Every modern-day media darling needs a PR machine, and Pope Francis is no exception. Enter Greg Burke: the 53-year-old Fox News correspondent turned Holy See handler."
- Mormon Church in UT State Supreme Court CHALLENGING Reporting about Sex Abuse Victims
- Mormon church denies lawsuit's claims of sex abuse coverup
- Ex-Mormon bishop admits sex crimes with teen church members—"Ex-bishop Todd M. Edwards, 49, admits committing felony acts on two teenage girls who attended his Menifee church."
- "Rape the gay away" pastor won't serve time—"Iowa pastor and youth counselor Brent Girouex, who claimed with a straight face that he was trying to 'cure' teenage boys of their 'homosexual urges' by having sex with them, has had his sentence reduced from 17 years in prison to sex offender treatment and probation." Salon
- Australia: Pedophile priest guilty on new charges
- Disciplined Priest accused of abuse stripped of title
- Owner of alleged Satanic sex abuse daycare released as case against her falls apart—Kids' outrageous lies.
- Blast from the Past: Ex-priest convicted of trying to hire hit man to kill abuse accuser
- Central African Republic 'descending into chaos'
- Jihadists cut down 150-year-old oak in Syria
- German writer Abdel-Samad missing in Egypt—"A German writer threatened with death after criticizing Islamists has gone missing in Egypt. Police suspect that Hamed Abdel-Samad was abducted by religious extremists, but the investigation is still ongoing."
- Supreme Court will take up new health law dispute—"The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to referee another dispute over President Barack Obama's health care law: whether businesses may use religious objections to escape a requirement to cover birth control for employees."
- SC school cancels Christmas toy drive under legal pressure—American Humanist Association not acting humane.
- OH Supreme Court rules firing justified for teacher accused of advancing religion in classroom
- Science Education Advocates Thwart Late-Night Hijacking of Texas Science Textbook Adoption
- Atheists Take On The IRS—"IRS policies on church tax exemptions aren’t just potentially making America poorer – they also illegally discriminate against atheists, a lawsuit alleges."
- FFRF, Gaylor, Barker overturn 'parsonage exemption' clergy privilege—"The Freedom From Religion Foundation and its co-presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker have won a significant ruling with far-reaching ramifications declaring unconstitutional the 1954 'parish exemption' uniquely benefiting 'ministers of the gospel.'"
- Gay snub Cornish B&B owners lose Supreme Court appeal—"The Christian owners of a guesthouse who were ordered to pay damages for turning away a gay couple have lost their UK Supreme Court fight."
- Moscow mayor: No more mosques in my city—"The mayor says that the move is meant to discourage illegal immigration, but critics say it is corruption that is fueling migration, not mosques."
- Jury Sends A Message On Marriage Equality And Fines Gay Couple One Cent
- Texas National Guard To Let Same-Sex Couples Sign For Benefits—State law was preventing it [WaPo], but using federal personnel overcomes that roadblock.
- Oklahama Gov. Fallin halts all spouse benefit applications at state-owned National Guard facilities
- Chattanooga: Domestic partner benefits passes on final council vote
- Mary Cheney Joins Fight Against Indiana Gay Marriage Ban
- Houston Mayor: Benefits will be offered to same-sex spouses of city employees
- Judge Allows Terminally Ill Chicago Woman To Marry Her Partner Before Gay Marriage Law Takes Effect
- Croatia holds referendum on same-sex marriage ban
- Right-wing "family expert": Treating husbands and wives as equals is unchristian—"Russell Moore called egalitarian marriages 'false gospel' that defy the Bible." Salon
- Head teacher apologises over 'racial discrimination' letter—"A head teacher has apologised for sending parents a letter saying a "racial discrimination" note would be added to their child's education record if they did not go on a religious trip."
- Christian leaders rage at naming of gay US ambassador to Dominican Republic—"The arrival of a new envoy and his husband in Santo Domingo has incensed prominent Catholics and evangelicals."
- Harvard Journal Essay Argues Jews Suffer Because They 'Killed Jesus'
- Costco Apologizes for Labeling Bibles as Fiction
- Ohio Amish Girl, Family Flee to Avoid Forced Chemo
- Parents of Injured Baby Choose Emergency Baptism Over Hospital Visit, With Fatal Consequences
- The vaccination problem can't simply be prayed away—"Political correctness has meant practices that endanger children aren't publicly condemned."
