Links du semaine

How the Mormon Church makes money.  My question is, why don't they pay taxes on this loot?  (They pay some taxes but not enough!) ...  No, wait, my question is what they wear at their Polynesian theme park. Do they have special Polynesian magic underwear?  Mormon defenders are out in force in the comments section.  If this money from for-profit companies is really being used for charitable purposes why is the LDS so secretive about it?

America for Jesus event in Philadelphia - will it become a dominionist election-year screed? How can they energize their base to vote for a Mormon?  Could be interesting.

Tragic but also ironic, Chik Fil-A PR chief dies suddenly.  It's too bad he was on the side of people who believe God smites people who are in the wrong.  Having to run damage control on his boss's bigoted statement would stress anybody's heart, but it sure seems like a smiting.

Methodist minister used to be a "she."  Gotta admit, except for that believing in God business, the Methodists can be cool sometimes:  "Weekley, 60, was invited to preach at Morningside as part of the church’s 17th anniversary as a Reconciling Ministry, a movement within the United Methodists Church to welcome LGBT parishioners."

As if to prove themselves as backwards as ever, a Catholic priest blames Satan for Holmes' attack in Colorado.  Uhhhh yes, the guy was demon-possessed in the same sense that the 'demon-possessed' characters in the Bible were demon-possessed, i.e., mentally ill.

Meanwhile, in Australia, the identity of a pedophile priest is kept secret and his victim commits suicide.  The victim's name appears prominently in this article.  What is wrong with the world?

Nuns on the Bus tour ends in Washington, D.C.  One of my friends from Wisconsin met them and she thought they were awesome.  I used to think nuns were just mean old hags who swatted boys on the hand (h/t George Carlin)

Another nun gets into trouble with the Vatican for saying things like "Any policy that is more pro-fetus than actually pro-life, if the rights of the unborn trump all the rights of those that were already born, that is a distortion."  Ahhh those modern-day Eves, trying to drag down the good ole boys...  Sister Pat wants to feed the poor and clothe the homeless... *sigh*  Silly woman.

The Southern Baptists are having trouble keeping up the bigotry.

Zombies counter-protest the Westboro Baptist Church.  Sadly, they found no brains to snack on.

A Baptist Church in Mississippi manages to make WBC look progressive.  The pastor, supposed to be a spiritual leader who does what's right, is too much of a coward to stand up to the bigots who don't want him to conduct a marriage ceremony between two black people who attend the church because they are black.

First female Episcopal bishop.   I still heart the Episcopal Church except for the part where you have to believe in a supernatural deity, take part in a cannibalistic ceremony, and listen to people read from a collection of fairy tales.

Louisiana's voucher system could pay for kids to go to evolution-denying schools.    Supposedly, the schools kids can use state cash for have to meet the same standards as public schools... in everything but biology.  *sigh*

Another reason not to fund creationism-based public education: Kids can go to creationism-based Vacation Bible School to learn that drivel.

One of Chik Fil-A's evangelical supporters admits he's gay (or gay-ish?)

Apparently female televangelists can be homosexual hypocrites, too.

With so many of their leaders turning out to be homosexual, why are evangelicals promoting homophobia in Africa?  Mormons are in on this, too.