The Inquisitr » christians

Man Says Jesus To Blame For Drug Accessories

AHN — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:38:16 +0000

Louisville, KY (AHN) – A Kentucky man on house arrest told police Jesus set him up, leaving a burnt teaspoon in his home.

Louisville police were performing a home check on Craig A. Dunn when they found burnt tube of aluminum foil burnt on one end and a spoon with burn marks and possible drug residue, WLKY-TV reported.

When police asked Dunn about the items, he said they weren’t his-and told police that the spoon and foil belonged to Jesus, who he maintains is trying to set him up.

Police were checking on Dunn because he is under home incarceration because of a parole violation. He faces a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

No word from on high regarding the claims against Jesus.

Christian Ska: That’s All I Need To Say

Duncan Riley — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:34:54 +0000

Seriously, Christian Ska. While your ears bleed you’ll understand the headline

Catholic Archdiocese In D.C. May Stop Social Service Programs Due To Gay Marriage Bill

AHN — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:37:06 +0000

Washington, D.C. (AHN) – The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington says it will likely discontinue its social service programs because a same-sex marriage bill approved by a committee in the D.C. Council this week would force them to provide services to gay couples.

The full Council is expected next month to vote in favor of the bill, and Mayor Adrian Fenty has said he will sign it.

The legislation introduced in October by Council member David Catania, an independent and chairman of the Health committee, was reported out with amendments by the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary on Tuesday. It does not require religious groups to participate in gay marriages, and exempts them from the “promotion of marriage through religious programs, counseling, courses, or retreats.”

The Archdiocese said the exemption, revised by the committee from “the promotion of marriage that is in violation of the entity’s religious beliefs,” is too narrow. It said it would become vulnerable to lawsuits if it refuses to promote gay marriages in its initiatives such as adoption services, programs for the poor and benefits for same-sex employees.

“It is our concern that the committee’s narrowing of the religious exemption language will cause the government to discontinue our long partnership with them and open up the agency to litigation and the use of resources to defend our religious beliefs rather than serve the poor,” said Edward Orzechowski, president/CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese.

Catholic Charities serves 68,000 people in the city annually apart from the thousands who rely on the 93 social programs provided by the 40 Catholic parishes in the District.

National gay advocacy groups had hailed the committee approval of the gay marriage bill. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT advocacy organization, has been rallying grassroots support for the measure, partnering with 200 members of the clergy in the District to hold an interfaith service in support of marriage equality.

The District earlier this year passed a measure recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states. That bill was passed by a 12-1 vote of the Council.

The District already has a 1992 law allowing unmarried couples to register as domestic partners, but the statute only took effect in 2002 when Congress lifted a ban on using public money on the District’s domestic partner registry.

In September, a coalition of conservatives, including Bishops Harry Jackson and James Silver, filed a request with the District of Columbia Board of Elections for a ballot initiative next year that would define marriage as between a man and a woman. The initiative has the support of the Archdiocese.

Massachusetts and Connecticut were the first states to legalize same-sex marriages. Four states enacted legislation this year: Iowa, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. Main overturned its law this month in a referendum.

New York is set to vote on a bill before year’s end, while California may hold a referendum on whether to repeal Proposition 8, its ban on gay marriages.

Turn and face Jesus…seriously, he’s next to you

Duncan Riley — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:25:01 +0000

I bet the guy with the sign didn’t expect to see Jesus appear next to him when he got up in the morning.

Whoops: Turns Out The Bible Says God Didn’t Make The World

Duncan Riley — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:25:23 +0000

A respected biblical scholar has claimed that the bible doesn’t claim that god made the world, and the idea that he did came from a bad translation.

Professor Ellen van Wolde claims “in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth” is not a true translation of the original Hebrew, and instead claims the line should read “”in the beginning God separated the Heaven and the Earth.”

According to the Telegraph, the issue arises in the translation of the Hebrew verb “bara”, which is used in the first sentence of the book of Genesis, does not mean “to create” but to “spatially separate”. The difference means that according to the Bible, the Earth was already there when he created humans and animals.

There’s going to be some Christians with exploding heads over this one.

In Africa they have the best tabloid headlines. Here’s an example

Duncan Riley — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:14:10 +0000

Golden. Absolutely golden: Not only was the good man of god in a bum sex scandal, he terrorized the boys buttocks with his “monster whopper.”

Fruitloop Pastor claims Washington DC is going to be nuked…on Sunday

Duncan Riley — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:00:48 +0000

Meet Pastor Vincent Xavier, who as well as being head of the New Wine Ministry is also claiming to have insider knowledge that Washington DC is going to be flattened by a nuclear bomb Sunday October 11.

Pastor Xavier doesn’t elaborate how he’s come by his knowledge, but like most good nutters on the far right, he professes that it is in retaliation for America’s sins.

My only question: how are these sorts of nut jobs left to roam the streets? Audio for Xavier making his prediction as follows:

Survey Finds Many Clergy Dismiss Signs Of Mental Illness

AHN — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 05:15:09 +0000

Waco, TX (AHN) – A Baylor University study found some clergy members attribute mental distress to environmental or spiritual factors rather than mental illness, even when the afflicted individual has been diagnosed with a mental illness.

Researchers found that about a third of the clergy members in the United States who were approached for help by someone with a diagnosed mental illness, or by someone seeking help for someone else, told the person seeking help that they or their loved one didn’t really have a mental illness.

Most of the pastors surveyed senior clergy in large, affluent suburban congregations, with members who were highly educated, theologically conservative and predominantly Caucasian.

The 168 pastors surveyed by Baylor University researchers were affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT).

Previous research has shown that clergy members, not mental health experts, are the people most commonly sought out for help when people are going through psychological distress. This survey builds on those previous studies in finding that depression and anxiety turn out to be the mental health illnesses most commonly dismissed.

Researchers found that many pastors believe that many mental disorders have environmental or spiritual causes, rather than biological causes.

“The results are troubling because the demographic of this sample is considered to have the most and easiest access to mental health care, but yet, by their admission, they seem unwilling to access mental health care that is available to their congregants,” said Dr. Matthew Stanford, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor, who led the study. “A majority of them also do not believe they come into contact with very many congregants that have a legitimate mental illness, however we know roughly one in four Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness this year, making it likely that they will come in contact with it.”

The truth about faith

Duncan Riley — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:18:24 +0000

Faith: no quite as effective as two inches of bullet proof glass.

Study finds one in every 33 church going women targeted by amorous clergy

Duncan Riley — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 02:41:25 +0000

A new study from Baylor University has found that one in every 33 women who attend church services regularly has been the target of sexual advances by a religious leader.

The findings come from a random sample of more than 3,500 American adults conducted by the National Opinion Research Center. Respondents were asked if, since turning 18, they had ever been the object of a sexual advance from a religious leader.

The study, by Baylor University researchers, found that the problem is so pervasive that it almost certainly involves a wide range of denominations, religious traditions and leaders.

According to a release from the University, the study suggests that the prevalence of “Clergy Sexual Misconduct” with adults is higher than many people realize and that it occurs across denominations and religions.

“Because many people are familiar with some of the high-profile cases of sexual misconduct, most people assume that it is just a matter of a few charismatic leaders preying on vulnerable followers,” said Dr. Diana Garland, Dean of the School of Social Work at Baylor University and lead researcher in the study. “What this research tells us, however, is that Clergy Sexual Misconduct with adults is a widespread problem in congregations of all sizes and occurs across denominations. Now that we have a better understanding of the problem, we can start looking at prevention strategies.”

17-Year-Old Runaway Christian Convert Allowed To Stay In Florida

AHN — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:27:54 +0000

Miami, FL (AHN) – A 17-year-old Ohio girl who said she feared for her life after converting from Islam to Christianity will be able to stay in Florida, a judge ruled Friday.

Rifqa Bary said she ran away from home after her father threatened to kill her after her conversion. Her parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, say they would never harm their daughter.

Rifqa was reported missing by her family earlier this summer and was found in early August living with Rev. Blake Lorenz and his wife in their Orlando home. Lorenz is the head of the Global Revolution Church. Rifqa met the couple through the social networking site, Facebook.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the case. She is living with an assigned foster family, not the Lorenzes, until the end of the investigation.

The case has drawn international attention. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Rifqa has received more than 1,800 supporters on her Facebook page, and Gov. Charlie Crist has received more than 400 e-mails urging him to protect her from her family.

Lutheran Church Lifts Ban On Non-Celibate Gay Clergy

AHN — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:38:36 +0000

Washington, D.C. (AHN) – The U.S.’s largest Lutheran denomination on Friday lifted a long-standing ban on the selection of actively gay and lesbian clergy to serve as pastors.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America said it will permit congregations to hire homosexual men and women who are in committed relationships, after a vote of 559 to 451.

The decision was made during a biennial Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis yesterday among the leaders of the 4.6 million members.

The denomination became the second mainline Protestant church in a month to relax policies prevailing over who may minister the faith.

Similar action was taken last month by the delegation of the Episcopal Church, easing the ban on the partnered gay bishops.

Lutheran Church To Vote On Gay Clergy

AHN — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:02:27 +0000

Minneapolis, MN (AHN) – A vote on whether to allow homosexuals to serve as clergy in the Lutheran Church is scheduled at a national assembly of delegates here Friday, but a technical move to make approval more difficult has already been turned back.

More than 1,000 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have gathered at the Minneapolis Convention Center to consider several “social statements,” proclamations of the organization’s beliefs on significant social issues. A proposal on human sexuality that would allow the ordination of openly gay ministers is receiving the most attention from the delegates.

The statement, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” has been in development by a task force for eight years. Writing the proposal was not easy, acknowledged the Rev. Peter Strommen, chair of the task force.

“We knew when we accepted the call to serve on this task force that we would face challenges and controversies. Each one of us had experienced them in our local settings,” he wrote in a letter accompanying the document. “The hope of finding a clear path to full consensus among us on what was most controversial has not been realized. We have worshipped, prayed, reflected, argued, sung, laughed, sputtered in anger, dissolved in sorrow, fallen prey to discouragement, and been surprised by joy and hope.”

The lack of consensus was apparent Monday night, when delegates, with 57 percent of the vote, rejected a motion that would have required two-thirds of the delegates to approve the measure.

The seriousness of the issue requires a super-majority vote, the Rev. Gregory Pile, bishop of the Allegheny Synod, said during a two-hour debate. Ronald Pittman, a delegate from the Oregon Synod, countered that a previous action to bar same-sex candidates from ordination had required only a simple majority.

The outcome of the Friday vote will not fragment the church, the denomination’s leading religious official predicted. “Those talking about a dissension leading to division have not been listening to the church over the past four years,” said Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson. “The intensity of the rhetoric has been diminished and replaced by a very thoughtful engagement.”

Jesus makes surprise appearance in an MRI

Duncan Riley — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:48:50 +0000

A Philadelphia woman is claiming that Jesus had made a special appearance on his world tour of weird places by deciding to drop in and say hi on an MRI image.

Rhonda Hodge had a set of MRI shots taken due to issues with a bulged disc, when she made the startling discovery. “What went through my mind?” Hodge told local media. “Just surprise. Oh my God, that’s the crucifixion.”

Hodge isn’t going as far as saying Jesus performed a miracle as well, but she’s not ruling it out: “My neck does feel better. I don’t know if that was Jesus or physical therapy.”

There is no word yet on when the image will make its way onto eBay, although credit where due, the local station did get her to say that she’s considering it.

Bush told French President Iraq was a quest foretold in the Bible

Duncan Riley — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:30:28 +0000

If you thought that the WMD story behind the invasion of Iraq was bad, wait until you hear what former US President George W Bush told then French President Jacques Chirac: the invasion of Iraq what a bible prophecy.

French journalist Jean-Claude Maurice details the exchange in a new book due out in March. The following from Secular Humanism via Donklephant:

President George W. Bush told French President Jacques Chirac in early 2003 that Iraq must be invaded to thwart Gog and Magog, the Bible’s satanic agents of the Apocalypse.

Honest. This isn’t a joke. The president of the United States, in a top-secret phone call to a major European ally, asked for French troops to join American soldiers in attacking Iraq as a mission from God.

Now out of office, Chirac recounts that the American leader appealed to their “common faith” (Christianity) and told him: “Gog and Magog are at work in the Middle East…. The biblical prophecies are being fulfilled…. This confrontation is willed by God, who wants to use this conflict to erase his people’s enemies before a New Age begins.”

This bizarre episode occurred while the White House was assembling its “coalition of the willing” to unleash the Iraq invasion. Chirac says he was boggled by Bush’s call and “wondered how someone could be so superficial and fanatical in their beliefs.”

Sadly there are many in the United States that would have supported Bush in making this call.

Christianity: the reason we’re not exploring the galaxy now

Duncan Riley — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:00:47 +0000

You can’t argue with this logic: Christianity. just think, we could have been exploring the galaxy by now.

“Go Straight” Programs Don’t Work For Gays, Psychologists Say

AHN — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:11:15 +0000

Toronto, Canada (AHN) – Programs that attempt to change the sexual orientation of homosexual people don’t appear to work and may actually be harmful, according to a report issued Wednesday by the American Psychological Association.

Reacting to the report, APA members approved a resolution that mental health professionals should not tell clients that sexual orientation can be changed through therapy or other treatments.

The 138-page report drew its conclusion after reviewing 83 studies from 1960 to 2007. It found “serious design flaws” in the research, said Dr. Judith Glassgold, chairman of the task force that wrote the report. “Few studies could be considered methodologically sound and none systematically evaluated potential harms.”

“At most,” Glassgold said, “certain studies suggested that some individuals learned how to ignore or not act on their homosexual attractions. Yet, these studies did not indicate for whom this was possible, how long it lasted or its long-term mental health effects. Also, this result was much less likely to be true for people who started out only attracted to people of the same sex.”

The six-member task force was assembled by the APA in 2007 after the organization developed concerns about efforts to characterize homosexuality as a mental disorder and that homosexuals could become “straight” through psychotherapy.

No related posts.

Florida Christians protest atheist billboard, wait till you see the sign

Duncan Riley — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:21:49 +0000

An atheist billboard in Florida has resulted in community protests and a call for the sign to be banned, but wait until you see what’s on (or as is the case isn’t on) the sign.

Unlike campaigns in Europe which included the slogan “there probably isn’t a god,” the Florida campaign says “Being a good person doesn’t require God. Don’t believe in God, you’re not alone.” According to the Christians in the area, saying that non-believers can be good people discriminates against Christians.

Here’s where it gets even weirder: the residents object because (and I’m not making this up) African-Americans live in the area, and a shop owned by a born again Christian is nearby.

Local media reported that Team of Life community activist Essie “Big Mama” Reed brought her students out to protest it Wednesday afternoon.

“Nothing else matters, but that sign needs to come down. In the name of Jesus,” Big Mama chanted, as she led her students in protest.

She said the sign affects something much deeper than business. “I don’t know the reason for putting this sign up,” said Big Mama. “It says ‘Do not believe in God.’ How are we going to make it? Look at our schools, everyday. Everyday there’s something going on. Kids are out here killing each other, kids are here using drugs. Who else are they going to believe in?”

The atheist group behind the sign rightly pointed out the hypocrisy in the protestors, saying that they would like the community to show them the same tolerance they fought for during the civil rights era. “The women and blacks in this neighborhood, they’ve been discriminated before, in the recent past, as early as 30, 40 years ago,” a spokesman said “and yet, they have no problem discriminating against another group, whether it be gays or atheists.”

Atheists = your new African Americans.

That’s not a Jesus freak, THIS is a JESUS FREAK

Duncan Riley — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 18:00:04 +0000

I’ll up your Jesus freak with my Jesus freak any day!

Retired priest crashes car twice in one week. Bonus: into the same house

Duncan Riley — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:00:42 +0000

A retired Omaha Priest has been taken to hospital after crashing his car for the second time in a week into the same house.

64 year old John Mika first hit the garage of a neighbors house on Monday, then fled from the scene. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident. On Wednesday he went for a second round, hitting the side of the same house, flipping his car and causing significant damage.

The home owner told local media they couldn’t believe what had happened “When I answered the phone she said somebody crashed in front of your house and I almost said this is not funny, this is a joke” said Jennifer Villfuerte. “because Monday morning at 5:20 a.m. the same person hit and ran our garage.”

Mika has had previous run ins with inanimate objects, having taken out another neighbors fence last year.

Here’s the local TV report: