Well, here is Perez Hilton, the princess of mock, dressed up as a bad Jesus Christ.

Time for you guys and gals to take over in the comments on this one!  Sacrilegious?  Funny?  Ugly?

[image: Perez's Twitter]

Oakland A’s top prospect Grant Desme, who was the Arizona Fall League MVP, retired today from baseball to enter the priesthood according to ESPN.

The 23-year-old outfielder batted .288 with 31 homers, 89 RBIs and 40 stolen bases in 131 games at Class-A Kane County and Stockton last season.

He then hit .315 with a league-leading 11 home runs and 27 RBIs in 27 games in the fall league.

The A’s have wished Desme the best with his decision but they have to be reeling.  Desme was a second round pick three years ago after starring collegiately at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  Desme was likely less than two years away from breaking into the Major Leagues.

“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”

Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963
US black civil rights leader & clergyman (1929 - 1968)

During an interview in German magazine Bild, actor Brad Pitt went on record as saying there is no God and that he is a combination of being atheist and agnostic.

BILD: Is your soul spiritual?

Brad Pitt: No, no, no! I’m probably 20 per cent atheist and 80 per cent agnostic. I don’t think anyone really knows. You’ll either find out or not when you get there, until then there’s no point thinking about it.

Well not too much to say here. I think you readers will have fun with the comments on this one.

I will just say that betting that there is not a God or afterlife is a HUGE bet that I am not willing to make. I choose to believe, and I do believe, but if I ever happened to be wrong, I would be no worse off than Mr. Pitt.

But I have a feeling if Brad is wrong, then he might find himself before God, and God saying, “I don’t believe I ever knew a Brad Pitt.  Good bye, have a nice day!”

[image: wenn.com]

“If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can satisfy, also we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for another world.”

C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
English essayist & juvenile novelist (1898 - 1963)

With the tragic death of John Travolta’s son in the Bahamas this week and all the craziness surrounding Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, it has raised many questions about what Scientology really is and what they believe. So, I did some research and will give you some main points about the “religion”, cult, or whatever you want to call it.

The Church of Scientology has no denominational structure.

Scientology describes itself as the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others, and all of life.

One purpose of Scientology  is to become certain of one’s spiritual existence and one’s relationship to God, or the “Supreme Being.”

They believe that a human is an immortal alien spiritual being, termed a thetan, that is trapped on planet Earth in a physical body. Hubbard described these “thetans” in “The Space Opera” cosmogony.

Weirded out yet? I am.

Scientologists are taught that a series of extraterrestrial events, dubbed “space opera” incidents, ocurred before life on earth.

Scientologists also believe that humans have hidden abilities which can be unlocked.

In Scientology, the cosmic source or life force is represented by the Greek letter theta (Θ). Theta is meant to represent life or the life source, it is not part of the physical universe but it can control the universe.

So, a Greek letter can control the universe? Riiiiight.

The Bridge to Total Freedom provides the religious means whereby Scientologists use to increase their personal spiritual development based on a step by step process. The bridge is divided in two sides: “training” and “processing”. “Training’ is the religious education on the principles and practice of Scientology “auditing”; and “processing” is the actual practice of “auditing” itself.

Also, basic survival is broken down into eight dynamics. There are specifications about rebirth. There are ARC and KRC triangles, a tone scale, and rules about confidentiality and reincarnation.

I have studied world religions and I have to say, L. Ron Hubbard must have been on some nice trippy drugs when he thought up all this. People have a hard time believing there’s a God who created the universe but they believe a Greek letter can control it, there’s a space opera and we are all immortal alien beings? Wow.

[images: WENN]

President-Elect Barack Obama has chosen Saddleback Chuch pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration on January 20th.

Warren and Obama are good friends and have known each other for several years.    Obama has been very fond of the work Warren has done for AIDS in Africa.

Pro-life pastor Rick Warren will give the invocation at President-Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration. It makes a whole lot of sense. Even though Warren and Obama disagree on the life issue, they do see eye to eye on many social justice issues. This move is also classic Obama because it is a signal to religious conservatives that he’s willing to bring in both sides to the faith discussion in this country. Obama has never shied away from that.

The benediction will be led by Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery. The Civil Rights leader seems to be the perfect pick on such an historic day in this nation’s history.

Obama, along with then Presidential hopeful John McCain, appeared at Warren’s church back in August for an enlightening Forum on the Presidency where Warren asked McCaina and Obama identical questions.

We were lucky enough to cover the forum at Saddleback along with Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, New York Times, and ther rest of the big boys.  Obama selecting Warren for the invocation continues to show, along with his cabinet selections, that he is intend on reaching out to others outside of his political upbringing.

More photos of Obama and Warren from the Saddleback Forum and some behind-the-scene photos as well.

Warren is best known as the mega-selling author of The Purpose Driven Life which has sold over 40 million copies.

Complete Inauguration Schedule & Lineup

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenville, SC has sent a letter to his parishioners that their souls are at risk if they take communion before asking for forgiveness and atonement of their sin of voting for Barack Obama.

Catholics have long been a huge voice behind the anti-abortion movement, and obviously Obama is all about freedom of choice. The priest believes, therefore, that supporting him “constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil.”

Some members of the church voiced their displeasure at the priest’s words.  Others seemed to agree with it and the Catholic policy of being on the side of life.  The Catholic Church also denies communion to non-Catholic Christians like myself.

Just for the record, the Catholic church also refuses communion to any Christian who is not classified as a Catholic. It seems that only those who fit into a very specific mold can take of the Eucharist.

Abortion always seems to light up the ‘phone lines.’  Sarah Palin proved that the old and established women’s movement and women’s groups are not actual pro-woman any more but instead are simply pro-abortion establishments.

[image: WENN]

Yes, it’s true. Hoochilicious Britney Spears was tapped to play Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus in the upcoming film Sweet Baby Jesus. Turns out that both sides ended up pulling the plug on it. Shocking!!

Producer Philippe Rebboah had this to say: “Britney read the script and she really liked it and really wanted to play the role of Mary. She isn’t as scandalous in Europe as she is in the States, and I knew she would do a good job, but [people] were so against it and she was pressured. Then she ran into all the trouble with her family so we mutually decided the timing wasn’t right.”

[image: WENN]

Televangelist Joel Osteen’s wife Victoria Osteen has been sued by a flight attendant over an incident that took place on a Continental Airlines flight two years ago. Victoria allegedly lost her cool when attendant Sandra Brown didn’t respond to her desire to have a spill cleaned off of her first class seat.

The lawsuit, filed in Harris County Civil Court in Houston, alleges that Victoria Osteen “shoved, grabbed and pulled the flight attendants.” The suit goes on to claim that Osteen elbowed Brown, who was the flight manager, while allegedly trying to get into the cockpit of the airplane.

Well, I think it’s safe to say Joel will have something ‘positive’ to say about this! It does sound like a money hungry flight attendant trying to milk the cash cow.

More Photos Below

[images: WENN]

Harvest Christian Fellowship pastor Greg Laurie’s son Christopher Laurie was killed in a car crash in Corona this morning according to the church.

The accident occurred this morning on the Riverside Freeway, near Serfas Club Drive in Corona. Laurie’s car collided with a Caltrans vehicle.

Laurie, 33 of Huntington Beach, served as the art director at Harvest Christian Fellowship, sponsor of the Harvest Crusade, for the last three years. According to the church, he is survived by his parents; his wife, Brittany; and daughter, Stella; as well as his brother, Jonathan.

Brittany is expecting the couple’s second child in November.  Christopher was the art director for the past three years for Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California.  The huge 3-day Harvest Crusade in Anaheim, led by his father Greg, is in three weeks on August 15-17.  My wife took me to this same crusade three years ago and it was a blessing.  We were among 33,000 people in Anaheim Stadium to hear great music by today’s largest Christian artists and a truly inspiring message by Greg. Over 35,000 in the three days gave their lives to Christ.  Read more about Harvest Crusades.

Christopher’s death has hit our family very hard.  My wife grew up at Harvest with Christopher and went to elementary school with him.  We went on a cruise with Harvest three years ago and spent a good amount of time with Greg and his wife Cathy.  Greg is a modern day Billy Graham but as personal and warm as anyone you will ever come in contact with.  I learned a lot from Greg and Cathy and treasure the couple of dinners we shared.  Greg’s story and journey to Christ is very inspirational.

Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to Brittany, Stella, Greg, Cathy, and Jonathan, along with everyone personally impacted by Christopher’s passing.

You can leave a personal message to the Laurie family on Greg’s blog HERE.

Harvest Fellowship Christian Website

Harvest Crusade Information

Matthew McConaughey took time away from his newborn baby Levi Alves McConaughey to explain to OK! Magazine how he and Camila Alves came up with the baby’s first name.  It is rather easy to figure out the origin of Levi’s middle name.

Explaining how they came up with the name for their baby boy, Matthew tells OK!, “Levi was another name for the apostle Matthew in The Bible. They were, in fact, two names for the same person.

“Our son was born at 6:22 pm, and this particular time represents my favorite verse in the book of Matthew in The Bible: ‘If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be full of light.’”

Baby Levi’s middle name is taken directly from his mother Camila’s last name. “We wanted to incorporate her family name,” explains the proud new father.

Where does Matthew’s sudden Christianity come from?  It is hard to say but in April of 2007 he was spotted on his stationary bike reading Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ.

Another interesting tidbit is that Levi’s initials are L.A.M.  and in the New Testament one of the titles given to Jesus Christ was ‘Lamb of God.’

Pastor James Dobson has responded to comments from two years ago by Barack Obama that called out Dobson and Christianity.  The speech by Obama took place before the Call to Renewal (text of speech)group in 2006.

“I think he’s deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own world view, his own confused theology,” Dobson said, later adding that Obama is “dragging biblical understanding through the gutter.”

Dobson also takes aim at Obama for suggesting in the speech that those motivated by religion should attempt to appeal to broader segments of the population by not just framing their arguments around religious precepts.

Dobson said the suggestion is an attempt to lead by the “lowest common denominator of morality.”

“Am I required in a democracy to conform my efforts in the political arena to his bloody notion of what is right with regard to the lives of tiny babies?” he said. “What he’s trying to say here is unless everybody agrees, we have no right to fight for what we believe.”

“What the senator is saying there, in essence, is that ‘I can’t seek to pass legislation, for example, that bans partial-birth abortion, because there are people in the culture who don’t see that as a moral issue,” Dobson also said. “And if I can’t get everyone to agree with me, than it is undemocratic to try to pass legislation that I find offensive to the Scripture. Now that is a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution.”

Barack might be forced to back off his comments from the 2006 speech a bit regardless of how strong he feels about it.  If he wants the Presidency he is going to have to win over a lot of voters who center their lives around Christianity.  The Presidency is Barack’s if he pacifies some of his strongest beliefs until he is in the White House.

The headline and controversy from Trinity UCC Church in Chicago is nothing new. However, Rev. Michael Pfleger not Rev. Jeremiah Wright is the preacher causing a political uproar from the pulpit this time. Barack Obama’s latest headache comes from campaign spiritual adviser Rev. Pfleger who ridiculed and mocked Hillary Clinton from the Trinity pulpit last week.

Read More and Watch Video HERE

A very cute and moving video of Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman and his late adopted daughter Maria Sue who died tragically Wednesday at the singer’s home when an older brother accidentally ran over her in the driveway.

Go to StevenCurtisChapman.com to leave a comment or donate to the The Shaohannah’s Hope Ministry charity in Maria’s memory.

Christian music singer Steven Curtis Chapman’s young 5-year-old daughter Maria was killed at Chapman’s Tennessee home on Wednesday when her teenage brother accidentally ran over her in his SUV.

The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, she said. Police did not give the driver’s name.

The teen was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser down the driveway of the rural home at about 5:30 p.m. and several children were playing in the area, McPherson said. He did not see Maria in the driveway before the vehicle struck her, she said.

“It appears to be a terrible accident,’’ McPherson said.

No charges are expected, she said. The accident was witnessed by two other children; the entire family was home at the time, McPherson said.

Maria Sue was adopted by Steven and his wife Mary Beth. They have three girls they have adopted from China and six children total.

My first memory of Steven Curtis is hearing his groundbreaking song “The Great Adventure” played over and over at Centrifuge camp in Panama City Beach, Florida back in 1992.

All of our thoughts and prayers go out to Steven and the Chapman family.

Read more on Steven’s website StevenCurtisChapman.com

photo: Tennessean

Maria Sue Chapman

Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow spent his spring break in the Philippines on a mission trip spreading the ‘Good Word’ of Jesus Christ.  Tim helped on the medical mission trip even assisting in several circumcisions before the week was done.

During spring break, Tebow added a new facet to his fame. In an impoverished village outside General Santos City in the Philippines, Tebow helped circumcise impoverished children.

On the Friday of a weeklong trip to the orphanage his father’s ministry runs in Southeast Asia, Tebow assisted with the care of locals who had walked miles to the temporary clinic that the ministry helped organize. More than 250 people underwent medical and dental procedures, some of them from “Dr. Tebow,” who has no formal surgical training.

“The first time, it was nerve-racking,” he said. “Hands were shaking a little bit. I mean, I’m cutting somebody. You can’t do those kinds of things in the United States. But those people really needed the surgeries. We needed to help them.”

The legend of Saint Tebow continues to grow and grow.  It is hard not to be a fan of this guy regardless of your college team affiliation.  The Florida Gators are extremely lucky to have such a stand up guy on their college campus.

Maher Dressed as Deceased Steve Irwin for Halloween

Bill Maher has pissed off millions of Catholics with his over-the-top comments about the Pope’s visit to the United States and the sexual abuse scandal within the church that has affected thousands of victims.

There is a petition at FireBillMaher.com that people can sign in protest of Maher’s latest comments on his HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher. You can also watch the video of Maher bashing the Catholics at the site.

Now I know what you’re thinking: “Bill, you shouldn’t be saying that the Catholic Church is no better than this creepy Texas cult.” For one thing, altar boys can’t even get pregnant. But really, what tripped up the little cult on the prairie was that they only abused hundreds of kids, not thousands, all over the world. Cults get raided, religions get parades. How does the Catholic Church get away with all of their buggery? Volume, volume, volume!

If you have a few hundred followers, and you let some of them molest children, they call you a cult leader. If have a billion, they call you ‘Pope.’ It’s like, if you can’t pay your mortgage, you’re a deadbeat. But if you can’t pay a million mortgages, you’re BearStearns and we bail you out. And that is who the Catholic Church is: the BearStearns of organized pedophilia – too big, too fat.

When the current pope was in his previous Vatican job as John Paul’s Dick Cheney, he wrote a letter instructing every Catholic bishop to keep the sex abuse of minors secret until the Statute of Limitations ran out. And that’s the Church’s attitude: ‘We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it,’ which is fine, far be it from me to criticize religion.

But just remember one thing: if the Pope was — instead of a religious figure — merely the CEO of a nationwide chain of day care centers, where thousands of employees had been caught molesting kids and then covering it up, he’d be arrested faster than you can say ‘who wants to touch Mr. Wiggle?’

Maher goes way too far in his comments but he is not totally off base with them. Don’t get me wrong, Maher is a first-class jerk who is a very angry man that was probably molested himself as a little boy.

Here is a look at some of his comments over the past decade about Catholics:

go on reading »

He also says: “It’s very, very dangerous for your spiritual, psychological, mental, emotional health and evolution. I think it stunts your evolution. If Scientology is real, then something’s f—ed up.”

Beghe has completed so many courses that he’s considered a top Scientologist, or “OT 5″ — similar to Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley. But Beghe reveals: “The further up the bridge, the worse you get.”

Beghe uses strong language in the video teaser and more is promised to come in a full length video interview.  The days of Beghe being a Scientologist might be over but it is obvious the internal damage done to him might never be undone.

source: Fox News

Gordon B. Hinckley, president of the Mormon Church, died Sunday at the age of 97-years-old in Salt Lake City. His cause of death was due to old age. He had been serving as the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints since 1995.

Hinckley was ordained the 15th president of the Mormon Church in March 1995 after then-President Howard Hunter, 87, died from the effects of prostate cancer just nine months into his term, the shortest in church history. Church presidents serve until their deaths.

When Hinckley was ordained at age 84, Mormons hailed him as a man of vigor and good health. Because the church presidency falls to the longest-serving member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, most men have been elderly when they took the office.

Hinckley was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. Many give him credit for helping rid the Mormon stereotype of polygamy. He served as president of the church for thirteen years. He was the fifteenth president of the Latter-Day Saints.

Latter-Day Saints Presidents

1. Joseph Smith 1830-1844
2. Brigham Young 1847-1877
3. John Taylor 1880-1887
4. Wilford Woodruff 1887-1898
5. Lorenzo Snow 1898-1901
6. Joseph F. Smith 1901-1918
7. Heber J. Grant 1918-1945
8. George Albert Smith 1945-1951
9. David O. McKay 1951-1970
10. Joseph Fielding Smith 1970-1972
11. Harold B. Lee 1972-1973
12. Spencer W. Kimball 1973-1985
13. Ezra Taft Benson 1985-1994
14. Howard W. Hunter 1994-1995
15. Gordon B. Hinckley 1995-2008