Atheists ratchet up rhetoric, use billboards to attack Republican politicians

An atheist organization known for being provocative plans to take that reputation to the next level this week by putting up seven billboards that call out prominent politicians and religious leaders. Read more at CNN here.

Florida College Shuts Down Bible Study

Rollins College in Winter Park has shut down a Bible study that was taking place in one of the dorm rooms, Fox News’ Todd Starnes reports. The school says the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship informal Bible study held in the common area of a dorm suite violated its policy. An RA told the study leaders to leave and were banned from the dorm - even though the students wanted to hold the Bible study. The school recently recognized ICF because the group requires its leaders to be professing Christians. Here's a video report from WOGX-TV about the controversy.

Winans Gets Prison

A member of the Winans music family got a 14 year prison sentence today in Detroit for financially defrauding some 1200 investors. Prosecutors say Michael Winans Jr. led an $8 million pyramid scheme. In his sentencing, the judge said Winans ruined the lives of numerous churchgoers.

Pastor Calls Tebow a Whimp

The pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas is taking a swipe (as the Washington Post calls it) at Tim Tebow. Robert Jeffress has posted a 10 minute video (below) in which he responds to the controversy that led the sports star to cancel his planned April appearance at the Texas church. Although Jeffress doesn't mention Tebow by name, he rebuked those who haven't stood with him. Jeffress says “I am grateful for men of God like these who are willing to stand up and act like men rather than wimping out when it gets a little controversial and an inconvenient thing to stand for the truth." Jeffress has received negative publicity for his remarks about gays and other religions. Here's the video:

The Couple Behind 'The Bible' Mini-Series

A husband-and-wife team are hoping to do justice to the Bible in a Biblical record in a new, 10-hour series that starts Sunday, March 3, on the History Channel. Read about them here.

Tansgender woman sues Baptist school

A transgender woman is suing California Baptist University in Riverside for allegedly expelling her because of her gender identity. She wants half a million dollars.

Sex Seminar held in College Chapel

Allegheny College’s Ford Memorial Chapel was the site of what the student newspaper called “I Heart the Female Orgasm” on Wednesday night, a program hosted by a variety of student groups on campus. Here's more on what happened from KDKA-TV.

Colorado Springs Evangelicals

PBS takes a look at Evangelical organizations in Colorado Springs in the video below.

Tebow's schedule

Tim Tebow may have cancelled his appearance the First Baptist Church of Dallas, but he is keeping his planned visit to Trinity Christian Academy for a fundraiser during his April visit to north Texas. He will also appear at a Gala for Involved for Life which supports the Downtown Pregnancy Center, Uptown Women’s Center and Sonograms on Site. The pastor of the megachurch, Robert Jeffress, has told news outlets that Tebow called him personally to cancel, saying he needed to "lay low" and apparently the First Baptist appearance was too high profile for him--but he might come later. TMZ reports that Tebow was pressured to back out.

Tebow Cancels

Tim Tebow has decided not to speak at the First Baptist Church of Dallas. He was scheduled to take part in April services at the megachurch's new $130 million building. The church is pastored by Robert Jeffress, whose comments on other religions and homosexuality have drawn criticism. Tebow didn't explain his decision but did say in a press release:

While I was looking forward to sharing a message of hope and Christ's unconditional love with the faithful members of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in April, due to new information that has been brought to my attention, I have decided to cancel my upcoming appearance. I will continue to use the platform God has blessed me with to bring Faith, Hope and Love to all those needing a brighter day. Thank you for all of your love and support. God Bless!

Benny Hinn's Son Arrested

The son of evangelist Benny Hinn is back in the U.S. after allegedly "beating up" a deaf man in Brazil during "one of his father's events" over the weekend. According to local newspapers, the elder Hinn was on stage when Joshua Hinn grabbed a man who he thought was going to throw water on his father. The man, Hestephenson Araujo, wasn't able to speak and explain his actions--he brought a bottle of water with him so that Hinn could use it to "bless" him. The deaf man had to go to the hospital after Hinn and two American bodyguards took him to a trailer park and beat him up in the northern Brazilian town of Manaus. Araujo's father says Hinn's representatives talked him into not press charges--by offering a "large sum of money".

Cancelling Classes for Wiccans

The University of Missouri wants students to have classes cancelled when Wiccan and Pagan holidays come up--just as they do on Christmas, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. The school's Guide to Religions: Major Holidays and Suggested Accommodations tells faculty members not to schedule exams and other student activities for the Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, Ramadan, and Samhain, which is a Pagan and Wiccan celebration considered by some to be the Wiccan New Year.

Tebow to speak at Texas church

Tim Tebow's plan to speak at the First Baptist Church of Dallas in April is catching some criticism. The church's pastor, Robert Jeffress, has been in the news for making controversial comments on gays and other topics. Among them:

Gays shouldn’t be allowed in the military because "70 percent" have AIDS.

Islam, Mormonism and Judaism came “from the pit of hell”

Obama’s reelection “would lead to a rise of the Antichrist”

Gay activists try to hide “the link between homosexuality and pedophilia.”

The church is completing work on a new $130 million campus. It should be open by April.

Toby Honored

The Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album goes to.. TobyMac. He took the Grammy for his latest release, Eye On It. It's his second Grammy as solo artist and 6th overall (he used to be part of DC Talk). Eye On It hit number one on the Billboard Top 200 and iTunes® Overall Album charts. The video that goes with the title track got more than half-a-million views in just three weeks.

Sworn in on iPad Bible app

Several firefighters in Atlantic City, New Jersey took their oaths of office using not a physical Bible, as is tradition, but a Bible app on Apple's iPad. See a video report from WMGM-TV.

NBC40.net

What happened to God in America?

CNN's Carol Costello reports on the growing number of Americans who don't believe in God.

Mainstream Christian Music

A look at the impact of Christian music on the mainstream.

Watch Mainstream Christian Music on PBS. See more from Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.

Dobson writes Novel

Religious News Service interviews James Dobson about his new novel here.

Young Celebs met for Bible Study

Selena Gomez is attending a Bible study with other young stars, according to US Weekly. The group includes Matt Lanter, Vanessa Hudgens and Justin Bieber--who just broke up with Gomez. Bieber's mom is a regular. Leading the group is E! reporter Jason Kennedy. They discuss the Bible, enjoy snacks and often when they gather in a Beverly Hills hotel conference room.

Dallas megachurch pastor changing ways he addresses homosexuality

A magachurch pastor says he is changing how he makes references to homosexuality in the pulpit. Robert Jeffress, pastor of the 11,000-member First Baptist Dallas, tells the Associated Press he usually talks about homosexuality within "a bigger context of God's plan for sex between one man and one woman in a lifetime relationship called marriage. It would be the height of hypocrisy to condemn homosexuality and not adultery or unbiblical divorce." Jeffress also says he is open to the possibility that sexual orientation has a genetic basis that cannot be cured or prayed away. "I think we were too quick to dismiss the possibility of a genetic predisposition (but) we cannot pick and choose what parts of God's word we are called to share. God gave it to us, not to hurt people, but to help people. My sense is that people are just avoiding the subject, by and large. They are so bent on trying to add to the numbers of their churches that they don't want to disenfranchise new members or be characterized as unfriendly."