UK Bans Ad With Lusty 'Pope'

Catholic activists hit it with a hammer in Avignon museum

(NEWSER) - A pair of extreme Catholic protesters celebrated Palm Sunday this weekend by bursting into the Museum of Contemporary Art in Avignon, France, and smashing Andres Serrano’s (in)famous photograph “Immersion Piss Christ,” and some other works of art they objected to, with hammers. According to a French report translated by the New Yorker , the men were from the organization Civitas, (“for a Catholic city”), which seeks “the restoration of the social reign of Jesus Christ over civil society.” More»

UK Baptist charged with harassment, abusive language

(NEWSER) - A UK minister was arrested for harassment after publicly calling homosexuality a sin. Baptist preacher Dale McAlpine spent seven hours in jail on charges that because he had made the remark loudly enough for others to overhear, it constituted abusive language. McAlpine was handing out religious pamphlets in public when he told a passing shopper homosexuality went against the word of God; a nearby police community support officer then approached McAlpine and told him he could be arrested for homophobic language. More»

Pope self-flagellated in pursuit of 'Christian perfection,' says author

(AP) - Pope John Paul II whipped himself with a belt, even on vacation, slept on the floor, and frequently denied himself food as acts of penitence, says a new book by the Polish prelate spearheading his sainthood case. The book Why He's a Saint also includes previously unpublished speeches and documents, including one signed memo from 1989 in which he said he would resign if he became incapacitated. More»

(NEWSER) - A British website is accusing churches of political correctness after they made changes to age-old Christmas carol lyrics, the Telegraph reports. Vicars say the edits aim to remove gender-specific or racially charged words, but the editor of a Christian site calls it "a festive car crash. Half the congregation sing familiar words from memory, while the rest stumble over revised alternatives." More»

Anglicans second to Catholicism for first time in 400 years

(NEWSER) - For the first time in 400 years, Catholicism has more adherents than the Church of England in Great Britain, the Sunday Telegraph reports. Immigrants from Eastern Europe and Africa have filled the pews of Catholic churches, while attendance at Anglican Sunday services has dipped 20% since 2000, according to a survey of English churches. More»