Mediation for Long

Atlanta pastor Eddie Long has agreed to mediation with those who have accused him of multiple counts of sexual coercion when they were teenagers. Long hopes to avoid a trial, though he first said he would go to court to clear his name.

Grinch Alert

The 1st Baptist Church of Dallas has launched a website to indicate which North Texas businesses show outward support for Christmas through marketing, advertising and community relations. Consumers can visit GrinchAlert.com to suggest businesses or organizations that don't acknowledge Christmas which can land a group on the "Naughty List." Those celebrating Christmas get on the a "Nice List."

Watching over Baby Jesus

An article about Baby Jesus and GPS in USA Today here.

Most Muslims want Islam in politics

A majority of Muslims around the world want Islam to play a big role in their countries' political life. Here are some of the other findings of a new poll from the Pew Research Center:

Pakistani Muslims said they would support laws that would separate men and women at work.

Most Muslims in Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan and Nigeria want to change the law to allow stoning for adultery, hand amputation for theft and death for those who convert from Islam to another religion.

Even in Turkey, where 74% of Muslims say they are not fundamentalists, more than half are in favor of combining Islam and politics.

In Lebanon 84% say they are moderates.

59% in Egypt identify with fundamentalists.

58% in Nigeria identify with the fundamentalists.

Hamas and Hezbollah are supported in Jordon and Lebanon.

Al Qaeda was rejected by strong majorities in every Muslim country. Nigeria was the exception. Muslims there gave the group a 49% approval rating.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points for Pakistan and 4 percentage points for the other countries.

Build an Ark

The New York Times looks at plans in Kentucky to build a Noah's Ark Theme park in an article here.

Pastor Accused of being "Of the Devil"

A jury has awarded $4.6 million to the former pastor of a Torrance, California church. Nancy Johnson claimed to have been slandered by the current pastor of the Prairie Avenue Foursquare Church, Erik Kirk, said she was "of the devil." Kirk also said she misappropriating building project funds. Johnson's husband, the late George Johnson, was fired during the 1990's when his two daughters accused him of sexual abuse. He was later reinstated, and the church agreed to pay back salary. The trial got off to an disturbing start when the first witness was murdered before she could take the stand on behalf of Johnson.

Tops Stories... One Year Ago

A survey of more than 100 religion journalists found these to be the top stories of 2009:

1. Barack Obama's June speech in which he pledged a new beginning in Muslim-U.S. relations during a visit to Cairo.

2. Health care reform and the role of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and other faith groups played in shaping the debate.

3. Because Maj. Nidal Hasan, the accused gunman in the Fort Hood massacre, was considered a devout Muslim, the role of that faith in terrorism again comes under review; some fear a backlash.

4. Dr. Carl Tiller, regarded as the country’s leading abortion doctor, is gunned down while ushering in his Wichita Lutheran church. Scott Roeder, charged with his murder, is described as a man suffering from delusions and professing radical religious beliefs.

5. Mormons in California come under attack from some supporters of gay rights because of their lobbying efforts in the November 2008 election on behalf of Prop. 8, which outlawed gay marriage. Later in the year, Iowa, Vermont and New Hampshire approve gay marriage, but it is overturned by voters in Maine.

6. President Obama receives an honorary degree and gives the commencement speech at Notre Dame after fierce debates at the Roman Catholic university over Obama's views on abortion.

7. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America votes to ordain gay and lesbian clergy who are in a committed monogamous relationship, leading a number of conservative churches -- known as the Coalition for Renewal -- to move toward forming a new denomination.

8. The recession forces cutbacks at a great variety of faith-related organizations -- houses of worship, relief agencies, colleges and seminaries, publishing houses.

9. The Episcopal Church Triennial Convention votes to end a moratorium on installing gay bishops, ignoring a request from the archbishop of Canterbury. At year’s end Los Angeles chooses a lesbian, Mary Glasspool, as assistant bishop. Earlier, an elected bishop in Upper Michigan, Kevin Thew Forrester, is rejected because of his extreme liberal views.

10. President Obama’s inauguration includes a controversial invocation by Rick Warren and a controversial benediction by Joseph Lowery, as well as a pre-ceremony prayer by gay Bishop Gene Robinson.

Source: Religion Newswriters Association

McCartney Apologizes

Bill McCartney is apologizing for referring to homosexuality as "an abomination against almighty God." The Former University of Colorado coach and founder of Promise Keepers is once again up for the head football position. Some have opposed hiring him because of his comments. The 70-year-old McCartney announced that he would like to return to the job he held from 1982 to 1994. McCartney now says:

"The Bible says the whole gospel is found in the first two commandments, and those commandments are love God and love your neighbor as yourself. What I regret is that I did not communicate that. I didn't communicate that well that day, and I regret that. I ask the forgiveness of anyone who thinks I judged them or look down on them. I don't."

School administrators fired Dan Hawkins from the coaching position last month.

Japanese Poster

This Tokyo subway poster shows Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper confronted by umbrellas forgotten on the train. It's part of a larger series designed to get riders to gather their belongings before leaving the subway car.

Penalized for thanking God

Star of David Discovery

Google Earth has revealed there is a Star of David on the roof of the Teheran airport. Iranian government officials are reportedly incensed at the discovered at the headquarters of Iran Air, Al- Arabiya. More than 30 years ago, the building that houses the national airline of the Islamic Republic was constructed by Israeli engineers. Before 1979, there were regular flights between the Shah’s Iran Teheran and Tel Aviv. A few months ago, it was discovered that there was a Star of David on the roof of a building in Teheran’s Revolution Square.