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Atheist Church Starts In England

On Sunday, Britain's first atheist church held its very first meeting at The Nave, a former church-turned-performance space, in Islington, North London.

According to the Islington Gazette, stand-up comedians Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans founded the so-called godless church because they wanted a space where non-religious folks could commune and edify one another.

The Huffington Post UK explains that the church, dubbed "Sunday Assembly," has been "championed as [a] chance for disillusioned former believers, nostalgic atheists and anybody searching for a sense of community, to meet and 'turn good intentions into action.'"

According to the Independent, about 200 worshippers showed up to the service, held on Jan. 6. The congregation focused on the theme of "Beginnings," deliberating over ways that success can be achieved by letting go of past failures and avoiding "mental booby traps." Instead of a sermon, the church invited Andy Stanton, a popular children's book author, to talk about overcoming the odds and achieving success; and instead of praying together, those gathered were encouraged at one point to close their eyes and meditate on their fears of inadequacy and failure. With Jones taking the stage as MC, the congregation was also treated to some stand-up comedy. A rendition of Oasis' "Don't Look Back In Anger" was even sung during the gathering.

Going forward, the "Sunday Assembly" is scheduled to meet on the first Sunday of every month.

Not everyone is open to prospect of an atheist church, however. Some have accused Jones and Evans of pulling an elaborate publicity stunt; others argue that the conflation of atheism and religious practices is troubling.

"How can you be an atheist and worship in a church? Surely it’s a contradiction of terms. Who will they be singing to?" London Catholic parish priest Rev. Saviour Grech said to the Islington Gazette. “It is important to debate and engage with atheists[,] but for them to establish a church like any other religious denomination is going too far. I’m cautious about it.”

And it's not just religious individuals who have expressed concern. As The Huffington Post UK notes, atheists too have voiced unease: "Critics have suggested by holding the meeting in an old church, (albeit deconsecrated) and by following a format of songs interspersed by reading and addresses, the comedians are at risk of turning atheism into its own sort of religion."

A 2012 international WIN-Gallup poll revealed that religiosity is declining worldwide, while atheism is on the rise. According to data from a 2011 census, one in four people in England and Wales say that they have "no religion." Data from the United Statesshowed 5 percent of people self-identifying as atheists. See Chick's THE GREAT ONE. 

Obama Doubles Down on Bibles

President Barack Obama is twisting a time-honored tradition, taking the oath of office for his second term with his hand placed not on a single Bible but on two – one owned by Martin Luther King Jr. and one by Abraham Lincoln.

The inclusion of King's Bible is significant since the inauguration comes on Jan. 21, the federal holiday in honor of the civil rights leader, who delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech 50 years ago at the Lincoln Memorial. Obama will be facing the memorial as he takes the oath. King's Bible, which his children say he used early in his career as a preacher, has never been part of a presidential inauguration.

Inaugural planners say Obama plans to place his left hand on the stacked Bibles held by first lady Michelle Obama as he raises his right hand to repeat the oath administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. It hasn't been determined which will be on top, with Obama's hand actually resting on it, but King's is larger, so it may need to bottom.

Obama used the Lincoln Bible while taking the oath four years ago – the first time it had been used since the 16th president's inauguration in 1861. Obama's inaugural committee says that the president plans to use the first lady's family's Bible for a private swearing-in at the White House on Sunday, Jan. 20. Public presidential inaugurations traditionally aren't held on Sundays, even though the Constitution states that a president's new term begins automatically at noon on the 20th.

Obama also plans to honor King throughout his inaugural weekend, beginning by asking Americans to volunteer in their communities on Saturday, Jan. 19, to honor the civil right leader's legacy of service. The King family plans to participate. Inaugural planners also say there will be a float honoring King in the parade to the White House after the swearing-in ceremony.

The Lincoln Bible is part of the Library of Congress collections. The Supreme Court clerk bought the Bible, bound in burgundy velvet with a gold-washed white metal rim and heavily gilded edges, especially for Lincoln's swearing-in.

They also say Vice President Joe Biden will use a Bible with a Celtic cross on the cover that has been in his family for 120 years. Biden has used the Bible every time he's been sworn into federal office, back to his entry in the Senate 40 years ago.  See Chick's THIS BOOK HAS BEEN BANNED.

Gay Activists Nix Pastor At Inauguration

The Rev. Louie Giglio, the Atlanta pastor scheduled to deliver the benediction at President Barack Obama's second-term inauguration, said Thursday he is withdrawing from the ceremony amid activist anger about an anti-gay sermon he gave in the mid-1990s.

The sermon, in which he spoke against the "aggressive agenda" of the gay rights movement, would make his inaugural prayer "dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration," Giglio said in a statement. "Neither I, nor our team, feel it best serves the core message and goals we are seeking to accomplish to be in a fight on an issue not of our choosing."

The sermon that caused the controversy, "In Search of a Standard – Christian Response to Homosexuality," is posted on Discipleship Library, a Christian website that archives sermons. In it, Giglio tells listeners that being gay is a sinful choice and that gay people will be prevented from "entering the Kingdom of God."

The "only way out of a homosexual lifestyle ... is through the healing power of Jesus," he says in the sermon. "We’ve got to say to the homosexuals, the same thing that I say to you and that you would say to me … it’s not easy to change, but it is possible to change."

The sermon, which lasts just under an hour, echoes similar comments made by Rick Warren, the California megachurch pastor who gave the invocation at Obama's first inauguration. Obama, who was widely supported by the gay community and gay-rights advocates, was strongly criticized for his choice but did not remove Warren from the schedule.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Presidential Inaugural Committee said the committee was "not aware of Pastor Giglio’s past comments at the time of his selection and they don’t reflect our desire to celebrate the strength and diversity of our country at this Inaugural."

"Pastor Giglio was asked to deliver the benediction in large part for his leadership in combating human trafficking around the world. As we now work to select someone to deliver the benediction, we will ensure their beliefs reflect this administration’s vision of inclusion and acceptance for all Americans," said spokesperson Addie Whisenant.

In a statement, Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin called the move "the right decision."

"Participants in the Inaugural festivities should unite rather than divide." said Griffin. (Apparently "united" means united in supporting the gay lifestyle.) See Chick's WHO'S THE REAL HATER?

Megachurch Tries to Dodge Rape Lawsuit

TULSA, Okla. — A judge has refused to dismiss a civil lawsuit that accuses a Tulsa megachurch of trying to cover up the rape of a 13-year-old girl by a worker on the church's campus.

The Victory Christian Center had argued that the girl's mother, who filed the suit, was not entitled to any relief under the law. A judge on Monday rejected the church's request to dismiss the lawsuit.

Ex-janitor Chris Denman was sentenced to 55 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple sex-related charges. Denman admitted raping the teenage girl in a stairwell on church property.

The lawsuit accuses employees of not reporting the August rape to the authorities while the church conducted an in-house investigation.

The mother is seeking more than $75,000 in damages. See Chick's REV. WONDERFUL.

Pope Denounces Capitalism in New Years Mass

The 85-year-old pope rang in the new year with a mass for about 10,000 people in St Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks its World Day of Peace with initiatives around the world.

He also spoke of peace after the mass, addressing tens of thousands of people who had followed the service from outside in St Peter's Square.

"A new year is like a trip. With the light and the grace of God, may it be the start of a path to peace for every person, every family, every country and for the entire world," he said from his window overlooking the square.

He thanked the world's peacemakers, saying they deserve praise for working, often behind the scenes, tirelessly, thanklessly and armed only "with the weapons of prayer and forgiveness".

Peace marchers carrying rainbow banners released blue balloons in a sunny but cold St Peter's Square as the pope spoke.

Earlier in his homily, the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics decried "hotbeds of tension and conflict caused by growing instances of inequality between rich and poor".

He also denounced "the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mindset which also finds expression in an unregulated capitalism, various forms of terrorism and criminality".

Benedict said he was convinced of "humanity's innate vocation to peace" despite many problems and setbacks. A personal relationship with God can help all believers deal with what he called the "darkness and anguish" that sometimes defines human existence.

"This is the inner peace that we want in the midst of events in history that are sometimes tumultuous and confused, events that sometimes leave us shaken," he said.

In his full message for the peace day, the pope called for a new economic model and ethical regulations for markets, saying the global financial crisis was proof that capitalism does not protect society's weakest members.

He also warned that food insecurity was a threat to peace in some parts of the world and strongly reaffirmed the Church's opposition to gay marriage. Heterosexual marriage had an indispensable role in society, he said.

Thousands of people took part in a peace march to the Vatican led by the Catholic peace and charity group, the Sant' Egidio Community, which negotiated the end of the civil war in Mozambique in 1992.

Other peace marches took place in Italian cities, and Catholic dioceses around the world held their own events. See Chick's MACHO. 

Three States Start Gay Marriage

Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington state approved gay marriage in November, making them the first states to do so by popular vote. Gay marriage already was legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia, but those laws were either enacted by liberal lawmakers or through activist judges.

In Maine, Gov. Paul LePage signed off on the certified election results on Nov. 29, so the new law was to go into effect 30 days from that date. The law already is in effect in Washington state; Maryland's takes effect on Tuesday, the first day of 2013.

Nobody knew exactly how many couples would be rushing to get their marriage licenses early Saturday in Maine. Falmouth joined Portland in opening at midnight. Other communities including Bangor, Brunswick and Augusta planned to hold special Saturday hours.

Fourteen couples received marriage licenses, and five of them married on the spot, a city spokeswoman said. Many of those who received their marriage license were middle-aged, and some said they never envisioned a day when gay couples could wed just like straight couples. 

Ever since Obama flip-flopped on his position on gay marriage, many in the black community who were opposed to it on religious grounds flip-flopped as well (on political grounds), and several blue states passed the new law in the last election. See Chick's SIN CITY. 

Gun Control Activist Scams Sandy Donors

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) - The family of Noah Pozner was mourning the 6-year-old, killed in the Newtown school massacre, when outrage compounded their sorrow.

Someone they didn't know was soliciting donations in Noah's memory, claiming that they'd send any cards, packages and money collected to his parents and siblings. An official-looking website had been set up, with Noah's name as the address, even including petitions on gun control.

Noah's uncle, Alexis Haller, called on law enforcement authorities to seek out "these despicable people."

"These scammers," he said, "are taking away from families and the spirits of dead kids."

It's a problem as familiar as it is disturbing. Tragedy strikes - be it a natural disaster, a gunman's rampage or a terrorist attack - and scam artists move in.

It happened after 9/11. It happened after Columbine. It happened after Hurricane Katrina. And after this summer's movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colo.

Sometimes fraud takes the form of bogus charities asking for donations that never get sent to victims. Natural disasters bring another dimension: Scammers try to get government relief money they're not eligible for.

"It's abominable," said Ken Berger, president and CEO of Charity Navigator, which evaluates the performance of charities. "It's just the lowest kind of thievery."

Noah Pozner's relatives found out about one bogus solicitation when a friend received an email asking for money for the family. Poorly punctuated, it gave details about Noah, his funeral and his family. It directed people to send donations to an address in the Bronx, one that the Pozners had never heard of.

It listed a New York City phone number to text with questions about how to donate. When a reporter texted that number Wednesday, a reply came advising the donation go to the United Way.

The Pozner family had the noahpozner.com website transferred to its ownership. Victoria Haller, Noah's aunt, emailed the person who had originally registered the name. The person, who went by the name Jason Martin, wrote back that he'd meant "to somehow honor Noah and help promote a safer gun culture."

It is also typical that after a mass shooting, various gun control activists seek to exploit the situation by raising hysteria and emotions to pass new laws, raise money, or influence elections. New restrictions are being proposed from the White House with an emphasis on challenging 2nd amendment rights within a month, before public hysteria subsides. See Chick's THE SCAM. 

Christian in Iran Tossed in Jail for Preaching

Rev. Saeed Abedini, a 32-year-old U.S. citizen and a Christian convert of Iranian origin has been imprisoned without charges in one of Iran's notorious prisons due to his work in Iran's underground Christian community.

According to the American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative Christian group which announced today it would be representing the pastor, Saeed was granted U.S. citizenship in 2010 when he married his American wife. He and his wife, Naghmeh, have two children, a 6-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. And in 2008 Saeed was ordained as a minister with the American Evangelistic Association.

While in the past the Iranian government has allowed Saeed to travel back and forth between his adopted home and Iran, during a trip to the country in August,government agents pulled him off a bus and jailed him, according to Fox News.

"When he became a Christian, he became a criminal in his own country. His passion was to reach the people of Iran," his wife Naghmeh told Fox News. "He comes from a very close-knit family, and he loved evangelizing and passing out Bibles on the streets of Tehran. This was his passion," she said.

Saeed is currently awaiting trial in Iran's Evin Prison, which has maintained a brutal reputation and holds many of the country's political prisoners.

In a statement, Saeed's new lawyers from the ACLJ said their client may soon face the death penalty.

"This is a very troubling pattern that we have seen inside Iran - Christian husbands and fathers who are punished for their religious beliefs," said Jordan Sekulow, Executive Director of the ACLJ. "What makes this particular case so much more disturbing is that Pastor Saeed, who was born and raised in Iran, has been granted U.S. citizenship. He's been in prison for nearly three months simply because of his Christian faith. Now, he's been indicted by an Iranian court - a development that could very well result in a death sentence. In addition to our legal work, it's important to get this story out - to generate global support for Pastor Saeed and to engage the U.N. and the U.S. government in securing his release."

The ACLJ has made freeing Iranian Christians part of its mission. They helped launch an international media campaign earlier this year thatcontributed to the release of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who was found guilty in 2010 of apostasy and sentenced to death for refusing to recant his Christian beliefs.

After Nadarkhani's release in September, Fox noted that several other Christians remain imprisoned in the majority-Muslim country due to religious beliefs. Islam is the official religion in Iran, and according to the CIA, 98 percent of the country's population is Muslim.

Under Shariah, or Islamic law, a Muslim who converts to Christianity can be given the death penalty, reports Fox News. See Chick's MEN OF PEACE?

Catholic Brazil Up in Divorce

SAO PAULO -- The number of Brazilians getting divorces is at a record high.

That's according to the South American nation's IBGE statistics agency.

The agency says Monday that more than 350,000 divorces occurred in 2011. That's up 46 percent from just the year before.

The reason is because Congress enacted a law that makes it quicker and easier to get a divorce in the most populous Catholic nation on earth.

Before, Brazilians had to be separated with a judge's approval for a year before they could seek a divorce. Now, there is no need for unhappy couples to wait.

The statistics agency says that prompted the record high in divorces, which have been tracked in Brazil since 1984.