Atheist wears pasta strainer on head for photo

A Texas college student is the first in the country to be allowed to put a pasta strainer on his head for his driver's license. Eddie Castillo says he is part of a group of atheists who "worship" the Flying Spaghetti Monster. The idea started eight years ago in a letter protesting the teaching intelligent design. Here's a video report from Everything Lubbock.

Outbreak at Megachurch

There's a measles outbreak among members of a Texas megachurch. Eagle Mountain International Church led by Terri Copeland Pearsons, the daughter of televangelist Kenneth Copeland. She encouraged members to get vaccinated because of an outbreak in the church's daycare--even though her father has promoted the idea that vaccines can lead to autism, a view debunked by medical science. Here's a video report from WFAA-TV about how the church is connected to the outbreak.

The Pope is calling

Pope Francis is taking the time to call people who've written him notes or gone through some difficulty. The unexpected papal calls usually begin with him saying, "It's the pope." Among his calls:

from Wikipedia Commons

• Alerting a newspaper stand in Buenos Aires he would not need daily delivery anymore
• Telling his shoemaker to continue making black shoes, that he would not be switching to papal red leather loafers
• A Italian man whose brother was killed
• A woman to thank her for a book she sent
• A 19-year-old student who write to Francis, was told to refer to him with the informal "tu" because even "Jesus and the apostles used the `tu'

The Italian daily newspaper Corriere suggests, if you get a call from the Pope:

• Ask Francis (a soccer enthusiast) about the recent game between Italy and Argentina
• Ask how Benedict XVI is doing
• Don't bring up Vatican policy or scandal
• Don't ask for any favors
• Don't use exaggerated titles like "magnificent"

Getting to Know.. James Dobson

• MINISTRY - Founder of Focus on the Family, his show ended in February 2010, now with a new radio program no affiliated with Focus called Family Talk 
• AGE - 77 years old 
• HEALTH - heart attack in 1990 
• DEGREE - Ph.D. in child development 
• TEACHING - former professor at the University of Southern California School of Medicine 
• WIFE - married more than 40 years to Shirley Dobson who chairs the National Day of Prayer 
• FATHER - ordained Nazarene minister. So was Dobson’s grandfather and great-grandfather 
• BOOKS - has written more than 25 books starting with Dare to Discipline in 1970

School: God is Dead poster stays

Parents of students at Covington, Georgia high school are trying to get the school to take down a display they say is offensive. The poster that's caused the outrage has a quote from Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible which reads God is Dead. Alcovy High School administrators are defending the project, saying it is designed to educate students about Salem Witch trials and the hunt for Communists during the McCarthy era. Here's a video report from Atlanta's Fox affiliate.

Churches changing bylaws after gay marriage ruling

Worried they could be sued by gay couples, some churches are changing their bylaws to reflect their view that the Bible allows only marriage between one man and one woman. Read the Associated Press story here.