De-Baptisms

Atheists have held de-baptism ceremonies on college campuses and at conventions over the past year. From the Atheist Coming Out Party to the De-Baptism Bash, groups like Secular Student Alliance and the American Atheists are promoting these types of activities to students at universities and in high schools. In the UK, the National Secular Society offers de-baptism certificates. More than 100,000 people have downloaded the form.

Newspaper Apology

A weekly Baptist newspaper is apologizing to the governor of Oklahoma. The Baptist Messenger published a proclamation that appeared to be signed by Governor Brad Henry. But Henry hasn’t given his support to the measure created by Republican representative Sally Kern. It says the US has forsaken its Christian heritage among other things. The Messenger is the official newspaper of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and says it was a graphic artist mistake.

Baldwin is Bankrupt

Stephen Baldwin is filing for bankruptcy. The actor-turned-Christian is millions of dollars in debt and is seeking chapter 11 protection. His home is worth more than one million but he owes more than that on two mortgages and about $750,000 to the IRS. Add more than $70,000 in credit card debt to that total. A New York newspaper says a man was arrested for dealing heroin this past month who was allowed to live on Baldwin's property. Baldwin says he was just trying to help someone.

Charity Owns House

Feed the Children owns a million dollar home in Southern California. And the founder’s daughter lives there, according to a report in the Oklahoman. Larri Sue Jones is a Feed the Children vice president and an attorney.

A battle is underway for control of the charity that raises a billion dollars each year. Founder Larry Jones is fighting a majority of his board of directors who say they want to stop Jones from making poor financial decisions for the ministry.

Lunar Communion

A church celebrated a communion yesterday connection to the American space program. KHOU-TV in Houston explains.

Proposed Religious Speech Law

A religious speech amendment has been added to hate crimes legislation in Congress. The bill would make certain crimes related to "race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability” federal offenses. Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas introduced the amendment that explicitly protects speech from the pulpit (digital or electronic)unless its intent was to cause violence. The bill still must weave its way through both houses of Congress but is believed to have a good chance of passage. The president has indicated his willingness to sign the legislation into law.

Survey of Scientists

A new survey shows just 33% of scientists believe in God and nearly half have no religious affiliation. That compares to 83% of all Americans who believe in God and 17% who are not religiously affiliated. Read more about the Pew Survey here.

Jimmy Carter & Dylan

Jimmy Carter says he lost interest in Bob Dylan’s music following the singers conversion to Christianity in the late 70’s. Kevin Mattson’s new book titled What the Heck Are You Up To, Mr. President? says the former president considered Dylan his favorite musician – but he enjoyed the pre-Jesus songs from the rock icon. The Ohio University historian uses most of the book to defend what’s known as Carter’s malaise speech.

Suit to Stop Engravings

A lawsuit has been filed to stop an architect from engraving the Pledge of Allegiance and In God We Trust at the entrance for tourists visiting the Capitol in Washington. Congress decided to add the engravings to the new Capitol Visitor Center this month. But the Freedom From Religion Foundation objects and has filed a lawsuit in federal court, saying the decision amounts to taxpayer-funded endorsement of religion.

Short Dies

The man who wrote The Gospel According to Peanuts has died. Robert Short was 76 years old. His best known work sold more than 10 million copies and became the top nonfiction bestseller in the US when it first came out in 1965. A few years ago, the ordained Presbyterian minister started a group called Christianity Without Doom or Gloom out of Little Rock.

Episcopal Church

The Episcopal Church is preparing to officially approve gay clergy serving in any position. At the Episcopal General Convention in Anaheim, California, bishops voted to affirm their support of the move. Delegates representing members and priests are expected to give their approval before the Convention ends this week. The move may end a moratorium on ordaining gay bishops passed at the last convention three years ago. The resolution does not mandate that all dioceses consider gay candidates but encourages them to do so.

Ex-Wife Takes Over Megachurch

Paula White will take the pulpit at Tampa’s megachurch Without Walls International tomorrow. Ex-husband Randy White resigned last week. Randy White says he quit over serious health concerns and this Sunday’s services will be used to honor him. Paula White has been away from Without Walls for more than two years, following the couple's divorced. The congregation has rocked by the death of Randy White's daughter from brain cancer and the hint of financial scandal. The couple is part of a federal inquiry into the church finances.

Bruno Protest

A Christian group is calling on cities to ban the Sacha Baron Cohen’s new movie Bruno which opens this weekend. Texas-based Movieguide is sending letters to city officials around the country suggesting they take a look at whether the film does not fit their community standards related to obscenity and pornography. Cohen plays a flamboyantly gay television host. The movie includes frontal nudity of men and woman. Groups of people appear onscreen engaged in various sex acts. It originally recieved an NC-17 rating but some scenes were trimmed and now it carries an R-rating.

Begging Church

WHAS-TV in Louisville, Kentucky reports on a controversial church that begs from people in the streets.

Obama Meets Pope

Barack Obama met with Pope Benedict today at the Vatican. It's Obama's first vist with the pontiff. They spent more than a half-hour in Benedict's private libraray and exchanged gifts. The Pope gave the President a copy of his book on church social teachings (among other items) and Obama giving the Pope a stole placed on the remains the first naturalized U.S. citizen to named a saint. The First Lady and the Obama children visited the Vatican as well.

Sign: “Islam is of the Devil”

A message on the front lawn of a Florida church is causing protests. It reads. “Islam is of the Devil”. The Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville explains on its website why the pastor decided to put up the controversial message. More than 100 people showed up for a prayer vigil on Sunday organized by the pastor of Emmanuel Mennonite Church in an attempt to get the sign removed. Later that night, someone torn it down but the message was put back up the next day.

Herod's Temple

Archaeologists may have found the spot where King Herod got the stones to build the Jewish Temple some 2000 years ago. That includes what’s known as the Western Wall. The Israel Antiquities Authority says the ancient quarry is more than 100 yards square. The stones, along with pottery, tools and coins were uncovered before construction of an apartment complex. The Roman legions destroyed Herod’s Temple in A.D. 70 after a Jewish uprising.

Mega-Home for Mega-Evangelist

A televangelist is building himself a $4 million house in South Carolina. Although the his ministry has recently laid off workers and made cutbacks to benefits, Inspiration Network CEO David Cerullo is paid one-and-a-half million in compensation.

Flyover Denied

The Air Force has turned a request to flyover the God and Country Family Festival in Nampa, Idaho. Air Force planes have made an appearance at the event for decades. But the military turned the request down because of the religious nature of the event.

Twittering Church

A Dallas church is experimenting with twitter. KDFW-TV reports.