Billy Graham's Library

The Billy Graham Library has had more than 165,000 visitors since opening one year ago. That’s less than the number predicted by his son, Franklin Graham but not bad considering there has been no advertising. The $27 million Charlotte museum is free.

Evangelicals for Obama?

Conservative PR exec Mark DeMoss says Barak Obama could take a third to nearly half of the Evangelical vote in the general election. DeMoss bases the claim on the number of conservative Christians who voted for Clinton when he ran for the office and the lack of enthusiasm among Evangelical leaders for Republican John McCain. DeMoss worked for the Mitt Romney campaign and counts Focus on the Family and Franklin Graham among his clients.

Spirit "Fall Out" Leads to Suit

A Tennessee man is suing the Knoxville church where he was “slain in the spirit” last year. Robert Lavala was preaching at the Lakewind Church when he touched Matthew Lincoln who fell backward, hitting his head on the floor. Lincoln now wants $2.5 million from Lakewind because he claims he can no longer care for his disabled daughter. The church says Lincoln should not have assumed someone would able to catch him. The Smoking Gun has a copy of the suit posted.

South Dakota Votes

South Dakota Democratic Primary votes and church attendance.

• Protestant and attend weekly: Clinton 56%, Obama 44%
• Protestant and attend less often: Clinton 54%, Obama 46%
• Catholic and attend weekly: Clinton 58%, Obama 42%
• Catholic and attend less often: Clinton 58%, Obama 42%
• Others: Clinton 52%, Obama 48%

Obama Leaving Trinity Church:

• Important: Clinton 69%, Obama 31%
• Not Important: Clinton 46%, Obama 54%

Source: CNN Exit Polls

Montana Votes

Montana Democratic Primary votes and church attendance.

• Protestant and attend weekly: Clinton 60%, Obama 35%
• Protestant and attend less often: Clinton 45%, Obama 54%
• Catholic and attend weekly: Clinton 43%, Obama 54%
• Catholic and attend less often: Clinton 45%, Obama 54%
• Others: Clinton 29%, Obama 68%

Obama Leaving Trinity Church:

• Important: Clinton 57%, Obama 40%
• Not Important: Clinton 32%, Obama 66%

Source: CNN Exit Polls

Footprints

The question of who wrote the famous poem Footprints in the Sand could wind up in court. Basil Zangare has filed a lawsuit claiming his mother, Mary Stevenson, wrote it in the 1930’s. He’s suing a couple of women who each claim they wrote it. One is Canadian poet Margaret Fishback Powers. She claims to have come up with it in 1964 and then to have sold it in 1992 to HarperCollins Canada for a book. The other woman is Carolyn Joyce Carty who claims to have come up with the poem in 1963 when she was just six years old. Not named in the suit is Burrell Webb who says he wrote it in 1958. On top of all that, journalist Rachel Aviv says her research shows it was written in 1880.

Priest Stepping Down

A Chicago priest is being given a leave of absence following his comments about Hillary Clinton at Barak Obama’s former church. Cardinal Francis George says Michael Pfleger will be given time to "reflect on his recent statements". During the sermon he said, "America is the greatest sin against God." Pfleger says that was a slip of the tongue and he meant to say "Racism is the greatest sin against God" . More on his sermon.

Faithbook

A new Facebook page launched today by a group of British Jews known as the Movement for Reform Judaism. Faithbook has the support of The Muslim Institute. The idea is that the site will provide a place for religious debate and discussion.

The Shroud

The Shroud of Turin will go on display in two years. It has not been viewed in public for eight. Some people claim the Shroud was used in Jesus’ burial. But carbon dating in the 80's indicated it is only a medieval fake. By tradition, the relic is owned by the Pope.

Obama Leaves Church

Barack Obama is leaving the Trinity United Church of Christ. He’s been a member of the Chicagovideo showed up on the Internet of Michael Pfleger who was a guest speaker at Trinity. It shows the priest swearing and mocking Hillary Clinton. Obama says the comments were "offensive (and) have no place in our politics and in the pulpit." Here's Obama's resignation letter. Pfleger apologized yesterday for the remarks but he also blamed YouTube for the controversy, saying, “YouTube and headlines and soundbites can now and have now become an instrument that creates the story rather than tells the story."

Dobson Takes on New Colorado Law

Colorado’s governor has signed a bill into law this week designed bans discrimination based on sexual orientation in the state. James Dobson says it will allow men to use women's bathrooms, providing opportunities for sexual predators. Senator Jennifer Veiga, who sponsored the bill, says the Focus on the Family founder is wrong and is using scare tactics.

The Peace Coalition

Rick Warren is hoping to get Evangelicals to re-think the group’s missionary culture.The author of the Purpose Driven Life invited the 1700 pastors attending a three-day conference to join him in the proposed PEACE coalition. It’s a move away from funneling aid through agencies that send trained professionals into the field. It’s designed to Christian churches into a giant "network of networks" dedicated to relieving the poverty and misery in the developing world. Warren has sent some 8000 of his own Saddleback Church to more than 65 countries in the last few years. The president of Rwanda has even described his country is the first "Purpose-Driven Nation."

Genome Resignation

The scientist who led efforts to decode the human genome is stepping down from his position as head of the National Human Genome Research Institute. Francis Collins is both an outspoken Christian and believer in evolution – combining the two ideas in his book The Language of God. He helped get President Bush to sign into law last week the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008.

The Manifesto

Some of the Christian leaders who did NOT sign the Evangelical Manifesto:

• James Dobson, Focus on the Family
• Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Church
• Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life
• Chuck Colson, Prison Fellowship
• Richard Land, Southern Baptist Convention

Lieberman to Speak at Christian Conference

"I believe that Pastor Hagee has made comments that are deeply unacceptable and hurtful, I also believe that a person should be judged on the entire span of his or her life's works. Pastor Hagee has devoted much of his life to fighting anti-Semitism and building bridges between Christians and Jews."

Senator Joe Lieberman explaining why he plans to fulfill his commitment to speak at the Christians United for Israel summit hosted by pastor John Hagee. Pressure has mounted on the Connecticut Senator to skip the speaking engagement ever since remarks by Hagee surfaced critical of the Catholic church and that some critics considered anti-Semitic. Hagee apologized for the Catholic comments.

ORU Provost

Oral Roberts University is losing its provost. Mark Lewandowski says he’s leaving the post in about a month but will remain a faculty member of the school. Lewandowski says he was not forced to resign. He helped bring an end to Richard Roberts tenure as the school’s president last year and threatened to resign in November if Roberts won reinstatement.

Suspended over Harry Potter

A library worker claims she was suspended from her part-time job for refusing to work at an event to promote the last Harry Potter book. The ACLU of Eastern Missouri is going to court on behalf of Deborah Smith. The civic rights group has filed a lawsuit against Poplar Bluff, claiming the Southern Baptist had to quit on her doctor’s advice rather than continue working at library. After she returned from the suspension, Smith was given tasks like moving and emptying boxes of books which supposedly put a strain on her pacemaker. No response yet from the city.

Pick of the Week

Steven Curtis Chapman Cinderella is USA Today's Pick of the Week. His 5-year-old daughter, Maria Sue Chapman was the song's inspiration. She died last week. The newspaper calls the song
"emotionally devastating" now but still beautiful.

Zondervan Makes Cuts

Zondervan is cutting jobs. The Christian publishing giant says it’s dropping 18 jobs as part of a restructuring effort. Nineteen year veteran VP Scott Bolinder is among those being laid off. The Michigan company is owned by News Corporation which also owns Fox.

City Motto

Voters in Porterville, California will decide a week from today whether to official change the city's motto to In God We Trust. It’s already on display around city buildings. The ballot measure would add it to city stationary.

Saved! Comes to Broadway

The 2004 indie movie Saved has been turned into a musical. The film makes fun of life in an evangelical Christian high school where a teenager gets pregnant after she sleeps with her boyfriend in an attempt to cure his homosexuality. The movie only pulled in $9 million. The stage production opens for a three week run starting a week from today in New York at Off Broadway’s Playwrights Horizons.

Narnia Tumbles

Ticket sales for the second Narnia film fell 58% over the Memorial Day Weekend to about $28.6 million. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian has taken in $96.7 overall. Industry watchers say the dip could be the result of the powerful opening of the new Indiana Jones movie. Caspian still held on to the number two spot.

Rapture Email

Want to let your friends know what happened to you after you are whisked away during the Rapture? There’s a new site that claims it will store your notes and then “automatically send the Emails after the Rapture of the Church has taken place”. Is YouveBeenLeftBehind.com a joke? It seems just as likely the operators of the site are hoping to make fun of pretribulationist Christians as they are to be sincere, since they don’t identify themselves and keep the name of the site's owner hidden. But then, since the service costs $40 for the storage space and sample email, maybe they just want to make money off believers' zeal.

Chapman Memorial

The two-hour memorial service for the daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman drew about 1500 people to Nashville’s Christ Presbyterian Church. The five-year-old adopted girl was killed when her 17-year-old brother hit her while driving an SUV in the driveway of the family's home in Franklin, Tennessee. No charges are expected to be filed against the teenager. Here's a video tribute to Maria Sue Chapman.

Jakes to Daytime TV

A daytime talk show is in development for pastor T.D. Jakes. It’s being put together by Dr. Phil McGraw’s production company, Stage 29 Productions. Jakes appears frequently on CBS’s Dr. Phil. Jakes was named among the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America by Time magazine in 2005. His Dallas church, called The Potter’s House, now boasts more than 30,000 members.

Does God Hate Lawyers?

A study of first year law students in Minnesota shows the more religious of the group fared worse academically. Researchers say medium and low spirituality seemed to had no correlation. The study was conducted at the University of St. Thomas School of Law which has a strong Catholic tradition.

Noah: The Musical

Noah:The Musical opens tonight in the country’s largest Christian theater. The Millennium Theatre is tucked away in the Ozark mountains in Branson, Missouri. The stage production includes 150 animals in the cast – half them animatronic.

Cutting Funds for Planned Parenthood

Conservative plan to soon present the White House with a petition signed by tens of thousands of voters asking that funding be cut off for subsidizing the cost of reproductive care for low-income patients at clinics. A letter asking that Title X be scraped will accompany the petition. It carries the endorsement of at least 70 conservative organizations. Among them: the Family Research Council, the Eagle Forum and Concerned Women for America. Some $280 million goes to the program each year. While the money can't legally be used for abortion procedures, nearly a third of it goes to Planned Parenthood - the nation's largest abortion provider. Critics believe the federal government is, in effect, underwriting the abortions taking place at Planned Parenthood offices. While Bush imposed restrictions on foreign family-planning aid years ago, he’s not put the same law into effect here in the US.

Obama Speech Cleared

An investigation into a speech by Barack Obama to the national convention of the United Church of Christ was not a violation of IRS rules for tax-exempt organizations. The Democratic presidential addressed the denomination’s convention in Hartford during June of last year. The agency says UCC had been careful to avoid the appearance that Obama was giving a political speech.

Faith-based Mutual Funds

We recently listed for you some of the Socially Responsible Mutual Funds that are available. Here are some other notes on such funds:

Morningstar says assets in faith-based funds grew to $17 billion in 2007. That’s up from less than $500 million just 10 years ago. Here’s a look at some of them:

The Timothy Plan stays away from companies involved in pornography, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, abortion services or antifamily entertainment. The Timothy Plan Large/Midcap Value earns Morningstar's top rating. It’s five-year return is more than 16%.

But there aren't just Christian oriented mutual funds out there. The Amana Funds invests according to Islamic principles. It boasts a five-year average annual return near 20%.

MW Smith for SC Chapman

Steven Curtis Chapman has canceled his appearance at today’s Zellwood Sweet Corn Festival in Zellwood, Florida following the death of his daughter. Family friend Michael W. Smith will take his place.

Qurans Given Away

A Muslim organization is giving away free English translations of the Qurans to homes in the Chicago area. More than 70,000 have been given away during in the last year. More than 30,000 have been handed out in Houston. The Book of Signs Foundation, also is known as al-Furqaan Foundation, says it hopes the 378-page paperback edition of the holy book of Islam will help Americans better understand their religion.

Hagee Responds

"I have dedicated my life to combating anti-Semitism and supporting the state of Israel. Let me be clear. To assert that I, in any way, condone the Holocaust or that monster Adolf Hitler, is the most vicious of lies.- Pastor John Hagee responding to charges of anti-semitism

Fired for Expressing Views on Gays

A University of Toledo official with strong religious beliefs says she was fired for expressing her opinion on homosexuality. Crystal Dixon is an African American who served as Associate Vice President for Human Resources for the Ohio school. She wrote an op-ed piece that was published in the Toledo Free Press last month. In a written statement, the University’s president says her opinion contradicts the University’s core values. And the University says Disxon was fired for other reasons besides the coincidental article. Dixon plans to file a discrimination suit. She serves as an elder at End Time Christian Fellowship Church.

Intelligent Design in the Classroom

A survey of US high school science teachers:

I believe human beings had been created by God within the last 10,000 years – 16%

I have:

• spent some time teaching about creationism or intelligent design – 25%
• taught creationism or intelligent design as a valid, scientific alternative to Darwinian explanations for the origin of species – 12.5%
• not covered evolution at all – 2%

A Parting of the Johns

John McCain and John Hagee have parted ways. McCain is rejecting the preacher’s support and Hagee is withdrawing his endorsement. After Hagee first endorsed McCain three months ago, sermons began to surface of Hagee offering what Democrats called anti-Catholic statements. Hagee, pastor of San Antonio’s Cornerstone Church, recently met with Catholic leaders and apologized. But a new round of criticism started when comments he made a decade ago about the Nazis began to surface on the internet. Hagee said Adolph Hitler was sent to persecute the Jews on God’s behalf so that Israel would be established.

Pilots' Answer to Prayer

Two pilots in New Zealand pilots ran out of fuel in a small airplane. After saying a prayer, they came across an airfield they did not know about until they saw it. The home-assembled plane came to a rest next to a 20-foot-tall sign that read Jesus is Lord. They started laughing and Associated Press quotes one of the pilots as saying, "My friend and I are both Christians so our immediate reaction in a life-threatening situation was to ask for God's help."

New Car Tag Moves Forward

The South Carolina House voted 109-0 yesterday to approve a new specialty license plate that says I Believe and features a cross. The bill now goes back to the Senate for final approval before it goes to the governor for his signature. A tag that says In God We Trust is already an option, Choose Life SC will be available in the fall. Florida lawmakers are working on their own version of the I Believe plate.

Chapman's Daughter Killed

One of the the daughters of Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman was killed yesterday near Nashville. Five-year-old Maria was run over by an SUV driven by her teenage brother in the family driveway. She had been adopted from China along with two other girls. The award-winning singer founded Shaohannah's Hope, a foundation that helps financially assist couples in the adoption process. The 45-year-old singer wrote a book about being a father called Cinderella: The Love of Daddy and his Princess.

An online survey of UK religious views

Do you believe God to be:
Male – 62%
Female – 1%

All religions fundamentally discriminate on grounds of gender - Yes 49%
All religions discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation – Yes 56%

Religion have "no place'' in modern life:
Agree - 29%
Disagree - 62%

Source: Movement for Reform Judaism in Britain

Deepak Chopra on the Manifesto

New Age guru Deepak Chopra says the controversial Evangelical Manifesto is “good news from a sector of the American public that made intolerance their marching banner”. Writing for the Washington Post, Chopra says “The strikingly new note in the Evangelical Manifesto is that it intends to be conciliatory. But the Indian doctor warns readers, “One still expects that fundamentalists will vote overwhelmingly on the right and that abortion, school prayer, homophobia, and the flag will irrationally dominate their agenda.” His latest book is called The Third Jesus in which he advocates Jesus as a spiritual guide - a "cosmic Christ" who's really a state of mind embracing all of humanity, not just the churches built in his name.

Gutenberg Bibles

New York’s Morgan Library is putting all three copies of the Gutenberg Bible in its possesses on display through September. This is the first time in more than a decade all three have been shown at the same time. Only 150 Gutenberg Bibles were printed in the 1400’s. Only about a third of them have survive today.

Looking Back.. 2005

TOP RELIGIOUS STORIES OF 2005
1. The death of Pope John Paul II
2. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is elected pope
3. Terri Schiavo dies in a Florida nursing home
4. Churches and faith-based agencies respond to Hurricane Katrina disaster
5. Debate over homosexuality in mainline denominations
6. Debate on evolution vs. intelligent design
7. Posting of Ten Commandments on government property
8. Faith-based groups speak out on Bush's 3 Supreme Court nominees
9. Vatican releases long-awaited statement on homosexuality
10. Billy Graham's farewell campaign in New York City
11. Withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza strip
12. Church leaders calling for withdrawal of US troops from Iraq
13. Canada approves same-sex marriages
14. Rick Warren's efforts in Africa and Ashley Smith's use of his book (The Purpose Driven Life) to help her escape from an accused killer in Atlanta
15. Catholic dioceses continue to struggle with child-abuse payments
16. Debate on stem-cell research
17. The Air Force develops new guidelines on religious activity
18. Brother Roger founder of the Taize community in France, is knifed to death
19. Democrats hold conferences on rethinking how to reach out to people of faith
20. The Chronicles of Narnia and CS Lewis
Source: Religion Newswriters Association

Denominations v Congregations

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia is getting support in its fight over state rules governing church splits from the United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and the Presbyterian Church, USA among others. More than a dozen Protestant denominations and regional districts have filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the Episcopal Diocese. Under state law passed after the Civil War, congregations get to keep their property whenever they break off from a denomination. The issue has come up because so many congregations are leaving mainline churches over issues such as gay clergy and same-sex unions. Eleven conservative congregations left Episcopal Church to join the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, a group backed by the conservative Anglican Church of Nigeria. The court battle is expected to last for years.

Google Searches

The states with the most Google searches (so far this year) including the word Evangelical:

1. Iowa
2. Minnesota
3. Tennessee
4. Illinois
5. Pennsylvania

The states with the most Google searches (so far this year) including the word Christian:

1. Kentucky
2. Alabama
3. Tennessee
4. Oklahoma
5. Indiana

Mother & Church Battle over Autistic Son

A Bertha, Minnesota mother wants to force St. Joseph’s Catholic Church to allow her autistic teenage son to attend services. The church took out a restraining order against Carol Race and her son after the priest said the 13-year-old had to be restrained and he allegedly spit and urinated during Mass. Race claims the church is exaggerating the problem. She was arrested after violating the order and has continued trying to attend the church but has been turned away by sheriff's deputies.

Judge Denies Roberts Request

An Oklahoma judge has refused to allow Richard Roberts’ wife to be removed from a wrongful termination lawsuit. Lindsay Roberts and her husband, who once served as president of Oral Roberts University, are accused of misspending school funds in a lawsuit. Former professors Tim and Paulita Brooker allege they were forced to leave ORU after detailing problems with the Roberts family in a report.

Church Gives Away Money

Christ the Rock Church in Memphis handed out hundreds of envelopes to parishioners yesterday containing various amounts of cash from $5 to $500. Pastor Chris Bennett gave them a total of $30,000, saying the money should go toward random acts of kindness.

Graham: No Olympic Evangelism

Franklin Graham says he’s against conducting evangelism during the Beijing Olympics this summer. Graham says because proselytizing is prohibited under Chinese law, he does not encourage anything illegal. The evangelist toured mainland China this past week and pet with government officials. He also spoke to nearly 12,000 people at a Chinese megachurch. Bob Fu, president of China Aid Association, says the comment is a “deep offense to the hundreds of house church prisoners and their family members.”

Creation Museum Drawing Crowds

The Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky is still drawing thousands of visitors and expanding since it opened on Memorial Day one year ago. The museum is approaching its 400,000th visitor. Answers in Genesis, the Christian organization that operates the museum is opening a permanent petting zoo on Friday and debuting a musical called Let the Rain Come. Another restaurant is in the works, along with more parking and a new entrance.

Dobson and McCain

Political columnist Robert Novak reports that James Dobson has invited Senator John McCain to visit with him at Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado Springs but so far the presidential hopeful has refused. Dobson is on record as saying he won’t support McCain’s bid for the White House because of his position on issues like stem cell research. Novak says it shows problems for the Republicans in gaining support from Christian conservatives who are already writing off this election and looking toward the next one.

Faith In "Second Life"

Religion is gaining a presence in the online virtual universe known as Second Life. Sort of a video-game costume party, the site also offers its 13 million users churches, mosques and synagogues. You can light virtual candles for Shabbat, teleport to a Buddhist temple or consult the oracle for some divine guidance. The online game has a Christian fellowship group meets weekly for Bible studies and prayer sessions. Oklahoma-based megachurch LifeChurch.tv broadcasts its weekly sermon to satellite campuses across the country including its virtual church in Second Life.

IRS Clears Pastor

Southern Baptist Pastor Wiley Drake says the IRS has cleared him of wrongdoing. The Americans United for Separation of Church and State complained to the IRS that Drake had announced his endorsement of Mike Huckabee on his internet radio show and in a press release. But the radio show operates independent of his congregation. And while the letterhead on the press release indicates that Drake is pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, California, it was not issued on the church's official stationary. The IRS does not comment on individual investigations.

Caspian is #1

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is the top movie at the box office this weekend. The film based on the books of CS Lewis took in about $56.6 million. But that’s not as strong as the first Chronicles of Narnia movie. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe earned $65.6 million during its first three days of availability. Movie analysts had forecast an opening within the $80 million range.

20 Years at The Cove

The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, tucked away in the mountains of North Carolina, celebrated its 20th anniversary with an open house yesterday. More than 25,000 tourists come by each year and another 20,000 visit for training and events. The 1500-acre tract is east of Asheville, not far from Billy Graham’s home in Montreat.

Clinton Gets Adultery Sermon

Things got a little awkward this morning at the State Street United Methodist Church in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Senator Hillary Clinton attended Sunday services in which Pastor Paul Fryman gave a sermon on adultery. But Clinton showed no reaction to the topic. She sang and shook hands with parishioners afterward.

Church Festival Shooting

A man opened fire at a church festival in Los Angeles this morning, putting his ex-wife and two bystanders in the hospital. The annual event was being set up at the St. John Baptist de la Salle Roman Catholic parish when he showed up with a semiautomatic rifle. The suspect was reloading the weapon when festival-goers wrestled him to the ground and held the man until police arrived.

Soft Opening for Narnia Film

Prince Caspian didn’t bring in as much money in its first day on the big screen as the first film in The Narnia Chronicles series, The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe. Prince earned $18 million at the box office while Lion took in $23 million. It’s estimated that the sequel will wind up with just over $50 million by the end of the weekend. That would be more than a forth less than the first Narnia installment. The next film, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, is already in production and should be out in two years.

Southern Baptist Church is Dying

“The Southern Baptist Convention is dying rapidly, and resistance to change could kill more than half the denomination’s churches by 2030.” Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page in a conference call with pastors

Journey to Narnia

If you’re inspired by the new film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian you might want to get a closer look at the live of CS Lewis on whose writings the movie is based. You could read his classic series of seven books on Narnia, of course. But you also could take a trip to his old stomping grounds. One option is Globus’ Christian England & The World of CS Lewis, a 10-day tour includes visits to Oxford’s Magdalen College, where Lewis was elected a fellow in 1925, and Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry, where he is buried.

Sex Sting Arrest

A minister at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas has been caught in an Internet sex sting. Police in Bryan, Texas say Joe Barron faces charges of soliciting a minor. An investigator posing as a 13-year-old girl had sexually explicit conversations with the megachurch minister. Barron was arrested when he went to meet the teen in person.

Iran Makes Movie about Jesus

A new Iranian film called Jesus, the Spirit of God tells the story of Christ without the death and resurrection described in the gospels. In the $5 million movie, funded by Iranian state broadcasting, Judas Iscariot is crucified in his place. The plot is based on the Koran and the Gospel of Barnabas, a book not included in the Christian Bible and in which the prophet Muhammad appears. Few Iranians went to see it at theaters. It’s now being broken up for a run on national television as a series.

Judas in Arkansas

The name of one of Jesus’ disciples is being invoked in an Arkansas political race. Mark Haroda is trying to unseat incumbent Tracy Pennartz for a seat in the state house. Haroda has mailed out flyers that show a photo of his opponent and the line Judas! Betrayed With A Kiss. The charge stems from Pennartz’s alleged support for raising the cost of gas and electric rates.

Steven Curtis Chapman

Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman is in China with his band to promote international efforts to help orphaned children. He raised more than $340,000 in the last six months for Shaohannah's Hope through the Change for Orphans campaign. Families in need of financial aid to adopt a child will benefit from the funds.

Caspian Hits the Big Screen

It may be standing room only for today's opening of Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The film is likely to be one of the summer's top earners because of the success of the franchise's first film and relatively weak competition this weekend. Exhibitor Relations predicts the movie could top $750 million in worldwide ticket sales. Critics have been generally positive about the film, though some Christian writers say some spiritual aspects of the book have been cut out - including a lessor role for the lion Aslan who represents Christ.

Einstein's Letter

A letter written by Albert Einstein has sold for $330,000 at a London auction. Written in the year before he died (1954) to philosopher Eric Gutkind, Einstein said, "The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. For me, the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions." The Nobel prize-winning physicist offered several conflicting views on faith and religion over his lifetime, suggesting he believed that some intelligence was working its way through nature but not a conventional Christian or Judaic religious view.

Petition Against Bush

More than 200 students and faculty members at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolinastatement opposing President Bush’s visit to the school over the war in Iraq. He’s due to give the graduation speech on May 31. It would be the first visit to the University by a sitting president. The school has historic ties with Baptists.

Georgia Baptists

Southern Baptists are on the decline in Georgia. The number of residents who say they belong to a church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention has dropped from 20% in 1970 to just 10% in 2007. During the same period, Georgia’s population has exploded – especially around Atlanta.

Same-Sex Marriage Ban Overturned

The California state Supreme Court has overturned a ban on same-sex marriage. The vote was 4-3. Voters have already rejected the idea and will have a chance to do so again in November. Concerned that the court may rule this way, pro-family groups gathered more than a million signatures to get an amendment to the state constitution on the ballot. That vote will supersede today’s ruling which goes into effect in 30 days. The Liberty Counsel plans to ask justices to hold off until after November. Otherwise, county courthouses are likely to be flooded with requests from couples that could be rendered invalid after the November vote. Under state law, gays and lesbians in California are already entitled to equal treatment in every legal area except marriage. Massachusetts is the only other state where the Supreme Court has ruled that the state's constitution gives gay and lesbian couples the right to marry.

Online Dating Services

Online dating service Chemistry.com has been targeting eHarmony.com in a recent ad campaign. The marketing strategy criticizes eHarmony for refusing to match people of the same gender. It also goes after the Evangelical beliefs of founder Neil Warren, who's had several books published by James Dobson’s Focus on the Family. A year ago, Chemistry ran a set of ads called Rejected by eHarmony. Chemistry’s 7 million registered users are dwarfed by eHarmony’s 17 million. eHarmony dismisses Chemistry as only a casual dating site and not in the business of fostering lasting relationships. Warren has said he personally believes premarital sex can increase the likelihood of one’s marrying the wrong person.

False Papers Used to Sell Church?

New York’s Free Mission Action Movement Church is fighting over its property with a developer who claims the church sold the land to him. But the pastor says the deal was cut with a con man who posed as a member and used fake deeds to make the $50,000 deal. The Brooklyn Supreme Court will take up the matter soon.

The Give Project

The pastor of the Lifehouse Church East in Hagerstown, Maryland decided to give to his congregation the money he had saved for a car. Patrick Grach handed out the $6000 in various amounts and asked members to do something good with it. You can read stories of what they’ve done online.

Pastor Threatened over Flag Removal

The pastor of the First Baptist Church in DeLand, Florida is taking a leave of absence to get away from threats he’s been getting. Sean Oliver removed the American Flag and Christian flag from the church sanctuary a few months after he came to church. Some church members objected to the change.

Lutheran Gay Clergy

A Canadian Lutheran church plans to move forward on the ordination of a non-celibate gay man on Friday over objections from the Bishop of the Eastern Synod in Canada. Pastor Dawn Hutchings says she expects dozens of clergy from across the country to join her at the ordination of Lionel Ketola at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Newmarket, Ontario. Although the Evangelical Lutheran church require that gay ministers remain celibate – the denomination also has told bishops in the church not to fire anyone who violates the rule.

Free Gas

The First Baptist Church of Snellville, Georgia is giving away gas. One catch, however. You have to attend a revival led by Ronnie Hill where you are given a raffle ticket for a chance to win a $500 gas card. The north Atlanta megachurch is getting so many calls about the offer, an extra phone line has been installed to deal with the flood of inquiries.

In Search of the Ark

A group of German archaeologists claim they’ve found what’s left of the palace of the Queen of Sheba – where many believe the Ark of the Covenant is located. The chest once held the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were etched. A professor from the University of Hamburg is supervising a dig in northern Ethiopia that started more than ten years ago. They believe the Ark was taken by the Queen from Jerusalem in the 10th century BC. The quest to find the lost ark was the inspiration for the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark. The latest sequel in that film series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, conveniently hits the big screen May 22.

The Billionaire Behind Prince Caspian

Philip Anschutz says he was tired of seeing violence, sex and vulgarity in movies, so the billionaire decided to do something about it. He created Walden Media and started producing films like Bridge to Terabithia and Hoot. His latest effort hits the big screen this Friday. Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is a sequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Made for about $180 million, the 2005 release raked in $745 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Price Caspian is expecting similar results. Here are some other Anschutz facts:
· Worth - more than $7 billion
· Home - Denver
· Church Affiliation - Evangelical Presbyterian Church
· Finances - A billionaire, he found a billion-barrel pocket of oil on a Utah farm, founded Qwest, owns the Staples Center in Los Angeles, controls the nation's largest cinema chain, Regal, co-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and owns 5 Major League Soccer teams
· Accessibility - Hasn't sat for an interview with a reporter since 1974
· Politics - major contributor to Republican candidates
· Moviemaking - His Walden Media made the Ray Charles biography Ray and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe adapted from C.S. Lewis's books

Hagee Apologizes

Televangelist John Hagee is apologizing to Catholics for referring to the Roman Catholic Church as "the great whore" and calling it "the apostate church." John McCain caught criticism from some Catholic leaders for his association with Hagee after the pastor endorced the presidential bid of the Arizona Senator. Catholic League President Bill Donohue says he accepts the apology and considers the matter closed. Hagee has been meeting with Catholic leaders and is promising to offer a more balanced portrayal of the Catholic Church.

What Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses Really Believe

I have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and believe that when I die I will go to heaven because I have confessed my sins and accepted Jesus Christ as my savior.
Mormons - 31%
Jehovah’s Witnesses – 7%

God is the omnipotent and all-knowing creator and ruler of the universe:
Born again Christians – 90%
Mormons – 83%
Jehovah’s Witnesses – 76%

Satan Exists:
Jehovah’s Witnesses – 61%
Mormons – 60%
Born again Christians – 42%

Jesus lived a sinless life on earth:
Jehovah’s Witnesses – 77%
Mormons – 66%
Born again Christians – 63%

Sharing my faith with other people is a personal responsibility:
Jehovah’s Witnesses - 74%
Mormons – 64%
Born again Christians – 54%

The Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches:
Jehovah’s Witnesses - 88%
Born again Christians – 71%
Mormons – 32%

I read the Bible each week:
Jehovah’s Witnesses - 83%
Born again Christians – 54%
Mormons – 27%

I do NOT attend a church regularly:
Jehovah’s Witnesses - 28%
Born again Christians – 14%

I am registered to vote:
Born again Christians – 87%
Jehovah’s Witnesses - 29%

Source: The Barna Group

Spicing Up the Bible

Geri Halliwell, better know as Ginger Spice, reportedly made some changes to the text from the Bible read at her child's baptism. The Spice Girl told friends her version read better. Geri, 35, recently launched her first children’s book Eugenia Lavender. Her daughter, named Bluebell, just reached her second birthday.

Armed Robbery during Church Service

A man interrupted services at the Hyannis Foursquare Portuguese Church Sunday in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, wearing a mask and threatening parishioners. He has a lighter shaped like a gun and demanded the collection box. But the would-be robber was stopped when churchgoers tackled him and held him down until police arrived. The man was arrested and is being held on $200,000 bail.

Switchfoot on Leno

The Christian rock band Switchfoot will perform on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno tonight. They will play the song This Is Home from the film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The song will be heard in the film and over the end credits and will appear on the movie soundtrack.

JI Packer Leaving Church

JI Packer is leaving the Anglican Church over the issue of homosexuality. While the governing body of the Anglican Church in Canada narrowly defeated a motion approving same-sex blessings last year, Packer objects to his diocese and others voting in favor of them. The prominent evangelical theologian is best known for writing Knowing God, a book that has sold more than three million copies. Packer left Britain some 30 years ago to teach at Vancouver's Regent College.

Graham in China

Franklin Graham is in China this week, meeting with church leaders and government officials. On Sunday, he preached before nearly 12,000 people at Chong Yi Church in Hangzhou. It's China's largest Christian church. More than 1200 people responded to the invitation. The church is offering a course as a follow-up for those who want to learn more about Christianity.

Gospel Dream 2008

The Gospel Music Channel is teaming with Royal Caribbean cruise lines for sponsorship tie-ins with the TV network's American Idol-like music contest. Gospel Dream 2008 will run for 5 episodes and give the winner a cruise and recording contract.

Bible Club Ban

The Deer Valley School District in Phoenix, Arizona must allow the events planned by a Christian student club to be announced over the school's PA system as it does other clubs. That’s the ruling of a federal judge while he considers a lawsuit filed by the students. They're going to court because the district has prevented them from announcing a prayer meeting during off-school hours.

Huckabee Denies Report

Mike Huckabee says a column by Bob Novak is “total and absolute nonsense.” Novak claims an anonymous source involved in “Christian politics” told him that Huckabee had “embraced the concept that an Obama presidency might be what the American people deserve. That fits what has largely been a fringe position among evangelicals: that the pain of an Obama presidency is in keeping with the Bible's prophecy.”

Pornography Connection to Christian Website

The same company that runs a Christian dating web site produces pornography. BigChurch.com says it will help you meet "People who share the same spiritual beliefs". What it doesn't tell you is that its
corporate parent is Penthouse Media Group. Founder Bob Guccione sold Penthouse Magazine and its associated businesses three years ago to a group of investors. In December, the company acquired social-network focused Various, Inc. for a price tag of $500 million in cash and stock. Part of that buy included BigChurch.com

Online Video Site

GodTube.com is now valued at nearly $150 million by PaidContent.org. The YouTube–like site launched last August and offers sermons, debates, Christian muisc videos and skits - along with an on-screen Bible and a prayer wall. All the content is filtered for offensive material. It attracts 1.7 million unique visitors a month, according to comScore. As we reported last week, the site picked up a $30 million investment from a large London hedge fund.

A Bible for Every Newspaper

The International Bible Society is working to put a quarter of a million custom-designed New Testaments into the homes of people living in Pittsburgh. The plan is for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to add the Bibles to the newspapers delivered to subscribers in Allegheny County on September 7^th. CityReachers Pittsburgh, an arm of the IBS, already distributed 140,000 New Testaments to the Philadelphia area during April. Another 260,000 will go out in Montgomery, Bucks and Delaware counties in November. The Pittsburgh edition will show the city's Golden Triangle on the cover. On the back will be a photo of Steelers football players kneeling in prayer along with testimonies from well-known people in the city. CityReachers Pittsburgh has raised a little more than half of what’s needed to complete the project by the printing deadline.

Church Reverses Votes

A Nashville church has reversed itself and decided to expel 71 members. Two Rivers Baptist Church voted to oust the dissenters yesterday after voting last week to let them remain members – by just four votes. The group is suing pastor Jerry Sutton and the megachurch for allegedly mishandling the congregation’s money. The move to dismiss them was put forth by Sutton himself.

Dottie Rambo Remembered

Here is a video of Dottie Rambo singing her song We Shall Behold Him. Details of her death are below.

Chuck Norris at Graduation

“It’s like the Holy Spirit hit me and said, ‘Chuck it’s time to come home. I was hot for the Lord, and I still am to this day. I hope that you’ll let him direct your steps because if you do, you can’t go wrong.” - Actor Chuck Norris speaking at Liberty University’s commencement

Christian Songwriter Killed in Accident

Christian singer and songwriter Dottie Rambo died early this morning in an accident near Mount Vernon, Missouri. The 74-year-old was riding in a bus that ran off a road and struck an embankment. Some people in the accident were hospitalized but no one else was killed. Rambo was headed to a Mother's Day performance at Fountain of Life Church in North Richland Hills, Texas. Named to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007, Rambo wrote the 1982 Gospel Music Association Song of the Year We Shall Behold Him which was made popular by Sandi Patty and He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need.

Clinton in Church

Hillary Clinton went to church on Mother's Day with her daughter Chelsea at the First United Methodist Church in Huntington, West Virginia. Pastor Paul Russell read the story of Pentecost from Acts and told the congregation, “Maybe you've been a comma at some time in your life (but) you and I are not commas to God." Clinton did not speak at the service.

Socially Responsible Mutual Funds

• Faith-Based Investors control $110 billion in assets
• $2.2 trillion is invested under socially responsible investing principles
• The 30 or so religion-oriented mutual funds control about $3 Billion
• Research firm Morningstar tracks 86 Socially Responsible Investing Fund

Here are some of those mutual funds and what they do for investors:

Aquinas Funds
Roman Catholic values

Ave Maria Catholic Values
Roman Catholic values

Catholic Equity Funds
Avoids abortion-related services

Cavert Funds
Favor companies paying for contraception
and that support Planned Parenthood

Citizens Core Growth
avoid tobacco and defense stocks

Citizens Funds
Favors same-sex friendly companies

Domini Funds
Favor companies paying for contraception and that support Planned Parenthood

Domini Social 400
Widely followed indexes

Domini Social Equity
Nonreligious fund avoids making money from alcohol, tobacco guns or gambling

New Covenant Funds
Presbyterian-affiliated

Noah Funds
Conservative Christian

Parnassus Fund
avoid tobacco and defense stocks

Patriot Fund
Off-shoot of Timothy Fund

Timothy Plan
Conservative Christian

Source: Smart Money