Turkish Game Show Tries to Convert Atheists

Drew Barrymore, converting to Judaism, is the latest

(NEWSER) - Drew Barrymore is getting married , but first she's—reportedly—converting to Judaism, the religion fiance Will Kopelman practices. She follows the tradition of these seven other celebrity spouses (or not-quite-spouses) who did the same thing, notes The Frisky :

• Isla Fisher: Converted to Judaism for Sacha Baron Cohen.
• Jesus Luz: Started following Kabbalah for Madonna.

Handful apply to be humanist leaders, thus far without success

(NEWSER) - The nonreligious may make up just a fraction of the military, but they say their beliefs are as valid as those of their religious counterparts—and the military should recognize them. Some dozen troops are currently applying to become humanist lay leaders—joining the lay Christians, Muslims, and Jews who assist military chaplains—as a way of offering support to other members of the military who don’t believe in God. But it hasn’t been an easy process, they tell the Baltimore Sun . More»

And no, it's not a holiday about 'Jesus's ween'

(NEWSER) - Seth Abramovitch was delighted when he ran across JesusWeen.com , a site encouraging folks to participate in "Jesus Ween," a Christian alternative to Halloween, on Oct. 31. "Jesus Ween is not, in fact, a celebration of Jesus's ween," Abramovitch notes on Gawker ; even so, the whole thing "seemed just a little too good to be true." Fortunately, he was able to get the founder, Pastor Paul Ade, on the phone. More»

Officials received complaints about monuments on public property

(NEWSER) - It could be the end of days for a few crosses outside San Diego. The California Department of Transportation plans to remove three long-standing crosses from public property after receiving complaints about them, reports the San Diego Union Tribune . The large monuments have stood just east of a state highway for decades, serving as an unofficial worship spot for generations. More»

Ricky Gervais: So few Christians follow Jesus's teachings

(NEWSER) - Ricky Gervais may be an atheist, but he still believes he's a "good Christian." No, he doesn't believe "Jesus was half man, half God," but he still manages to best many actual Christians when it comes to behavior, he explains in the Wall Street Journal . "Jesus was a man," he writes. "His message was usually one of forgiveness and kindness. These are wonderful virtues but I have seen them discarded by many so-called God-fearers when it suits them." Sure, Jesus's teachings would "make this a better world if they were followed. It’s just that they are rarely followed." More»