Humanist Ad Campaign

The American Humanist Association is launching a $40,000 holiday advertising campaign around the nation’s capital that uses lyrics from "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." The ads will go on DC buses and appear on posters saying, “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake” starting next week. A link to a Web site will be included that directs people to WhyBelieveInGod.com.

Oldest Hebrew inscription?

The oldest known Hebrew inscription may have been found on piece of pottery in Israel. The 3000 year old shard turned up this summer on a hilltop south of Jerusalem. The area overlooks a valley where David faced the Philistine giant Goliath. The lines of faded characters are called proto-Canaanite, developed even before the Hebrew alphabet. An Israeli archaeologist says the finding suggest the Biblical accounts were based on written text and not just oral tradition. This would bolster the case for the Bible's accuracy by indicating the Israelites could record events as they happened.

Public Prayer Booth

It looks like a phone booth. But inside you’ll discover it’s a Public Prayer Booth. A pair of them are located in New York in midtown Manhattan, Jackson, Tennessee, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The booths are the work of Kansas City artist Dylan Mortimer. There's a flip-down kneeler and the word "prayer" is written on the side instead of "telephone."

Seven Days of Sex

A Texas pastor is challenging his congregation To 7 Days of Sex. WOAI-TV in San Antonio reports.

Fireproof #14

Fireproof is now the #14 movie in the country. The church-made film has taken in more than $28 million dollars since it was first released seven weeks ago. This is the first week it wasn’t in the top ten. It was made by the Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia

The Love Dare,a book featured in the movie, is number two on the New York Times' paperback advice bestseller list after spending three weeks at top spot.

Mormon Churches Vandalized

Protestors are targeting Mormon Churches and others across California because of their support for proposition 8 which bans gay marriage. KTVX-TV in Salt Lake City has this report:

Florida Megachurch Threatens to Sue Newspaper

Randy White’s Florida church is considering a lawsuit against the Tampa Tribune newspaper. Leaders at Without Walls International Church in Tampa are upset with a series of unfavorable articles about the church. During his Sunday sermon, White talked about paperwork that would prove to the congregations accusations made in the paper are wrong. He denied a bank was attempting to foreclose on the church property. Here are the newspaper stories about White and Without Walls.

Dobson into Hall of Fame

James Dobson was indicted into the Museum of Broadcast Communications this weekend over the complaints of protestors. They gathered to object to the Focus on the Family radio host receiving the honor because of his position on homosexuality. The hall of fame does not take into account a nominee's political or religious views.

Protests at Dallas First Baptist

The pastor of Dallas' First Baptist Church had about 100 protesters show up today for his sermon titled Why Gay Is Not O.K. It is part of Robert Jeffress' series called Politically Incorrect. Demonstrators sang Jesus Loves Me and carried signs saying things like Christ Taught Love Not Hate.

Protest at Rick Warren's Church

Protesters gathered outside Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church today, angry with the megachurch's support of California’s Proposition 8. The measure bans gay marriage in the state. It won with 52% of the vote.

A large anti-Proposition 8 protest gathered at Oakland’s Mormon Temple, forcing the California Highway Patrol to close two nearby highway ramps. Another protest outside a Mormon Temple in San Diego drew hundreds. Thousands gathered in front of the California statehouse in Sacramento. In Pasadena, the pastor of the 4,000-member All Saints Church spoke out against Proposition 8. Pastor Ed Bacon called it an “act of bigotry”.

Here's a report from KABC-TV in Los Angeles on the protest at Saddleback Church.

Boycott over Gay Marriage Ban

There a growing moving online calling for a boycott of Utah because the Mormon church supported a Calfornia proposition banning same- sex marriage. KTVX-TV in Salt Lake City has more.

ACLU Objects to Christian Bands

The ACLU is trying to stop Christian music groups from appearing at Louisiana’s annual Thibodeauxville Festival this weekend. According to the civil rights group, the city of Thibodeauxville supports the festival financially but the major says that isn’t true. Some 10,000 people pack the little town for the event.

Exit Polls

The White evangelical vote according to the exit polls.

2008 election:
John McCain 74%
Barack Obama 24%

2004 election:
George Bush 79%
John Kerry 21%

Most important issue:
The economy - 60%
Terrorism - 14%

Another Episcopal Church Departure

The Episcopal Diocese of Quincy, Illinois is breaking away from the denomination. Clergy and lay delegates from its 24 churches and missions voted in favor of the withdrawal 95-26. A California and Pennsylvania diocese have already left and the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas may it be next. Representatives will vote whether to follow suit next week. All the breakaway dioceses are realigning with the more conservative Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, based in Argentina. A legal fight has begun over church property in California over the departure. Some individual Episcopal parishes have separately aligned with Anglican provinces in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

Ted Turner's Memoir

Ted Turner says religion didn’t break up his marriage to Jane Fonda. In his new book Call Me Ted, Turner says rumors that he divorced his wife after ten years because of her self-proclaimed conversion to Christianity isn’t accurate. He says he was upset, not by her decision, but the fact she didn’t discuss it with him ahead of time. In her own memoir, Fonda alleged infidelities on Turner’s part helped lead to the breakup. But both say they remain friends.

Gay Marriage Ban Protest at Mormon Temple

A rally against California’s gay marriage ban turned violent last night. Gay rights activists gathered outside a Mormon temple in Los Angeles to criticize the church's role in the passage of Proposition 8 which narrowly passed with help from the church. KTLA-TV reports:

New Rick Warren Book

A new Rick Warren book is out called The Purpose of Christmas. It’s his first since the Purpose Driven Life. is a 125-page small gift book that explains what it means to be a Christian. The Purpose Driven Life has sold 52 million copies since its release six years ago. An accompanying CD includes songs from artists like ThirdDay, Sarah McLachlan, Martina McBride, and Vince Gill. The CD is currently available exclusively at Wal-Mart.

Alabama Back's Faith

"Last year, I played as hard as I could, but I think I played for the wrong reasons. In the middle of the season last year, I found Christ. One of my goals this year was to glorify his name and run with a passion.. In high school, I was a football star and all that, but there was something missing. There had to be more, and I found it. My life changed when I found Christ."

-Alabama junior tailback Glen Coffee in an interview with ESPN who's fourth in the SEC in rushing and now speaks to church groups and youth groups.

Noose ignites tempers at Baylor

Police on the campus of Baylor University are looking into a noose found hanging from a tree at the school following Barack Obama's victory in the presidential election. Obama campaign signs were also found burning in a barbecue pit. Later, a shouting match erupted between black Obama supporters and a group of whites who threatened the black students .

The president of the Southern Baptist school has sent out an email to the student body and faculty saying, "These events are deeply disturbing to us and are antithetical to the mission of Baylor University. We categorically denounce and will not tolerate racist acts of any kind on our campus."

He told the student Senate he was embarrassed by the incidents. The student government passed a bill of disapproval on behalf of the student body and the school has created a response team to deal with reported prejudiced activity on campus.

Southern Baptists in Congress

Southern Baptists in the Senate:
Republican Roger Wicker of Mississippi
(he defeated fellow Southern Baptist Democrat Ronnie Musgrove)
Republican Lindsey Graham

Southern Baptists in Congress:
Four Southern Baptist Congressmen who are Republicans decided not to run for reelection this year:
Terry Everett of Alabama
Duncan Hunter of California
Ron Lewis of Kentucky
Chip Pickering of Mississippi

Two more Southern Baptists fought for Everett’s seat:
Democrat Bobby Bright
Republican Jay Love
Both are members of the same church: First Baptist Church in Montgomery.

Republicans:
Spencer Bachus, Alabama
Trent Franks, Arizona
John Boozman, Arkansas
Vern Buchanan, Florida
Lynn Westmoreland, Georgia
Nathan Deal, Georgia
Paul Broun, Georgia
Harold Rogers, Kentucky
Rodney Alexander, Louisiana
Sam Graves, Missouri
Frank Lucas, Oklahoma
Henry Brown, South Carolina
Gresham Barrett, South Carolina
Gresham Barrett, South Carolina
Zach Wamp, Tennessee
Steve Pearce of New Mexico (defeated)
Randy Forbes, Virginia
Louie Gohmert, Texas Mike Conaway, Texas
Randy Neugebauer, Texas

Democrats:
Steny Hoyer, Maryland
Heath Shuler, North Carolina
Lincoln Davis, Tennessee
Al Green, Texas