Thursday Religion News Roundup: Obama and Supremes * Papal elections * Killing Jesus

Will the Obama administration weigh in on the gay marriage case before the Supreme Court? Will Pope Benedict XVI change church law? Is computer-simulated warfare a good teaching tool for chaplains?

Gay love sign
An image of two male gender symbols.

Gay love sign

The Obama administration is considering whether to weigh in on a Supreme Court case challenging California’s gay marriage ban.

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court has narrowly voted to uphold a law banning gay couples from adopting children.


OK, back to all-consuming story: the Vatican confirmed that Pope Benedict XVI is considering changes to church law regulating the election of a new pope, but stopped short of saying whether voting could start earlier than currently planned.

Could it hurt his case? New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan was questioned in Manhattan for three hours behind closed doors in a legal deposition concerning the sexual abuse of children by priests in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, where he served previously .

With the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, some Mormons began to speculate whether an LDS Church president could do the same. Presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are considered “prophets, seers and revelators” and serve for life.

A computer simulation company has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to develop a program designed to help prospective military chaplains.

The U.S. is failing to pursue and prosecute clergy guilty of child sexual abuse, according to a recent U.N. committee report.

If Purim is not the Jewish Halloween, as Lauren Markoe reported earlier this week, could it be the Jewish Mardi Gras?

Still lots of chatter on whether SNL crossed the line with its hilarious “DJesus Uncrossed,” spoof. Daniel Burke investigates.


The ringleader of the Amish beard- and hair-cutting hate-crime attacks asked an appeals court to overturn his conviction.

NPR interviews a convicted ex terrorist from Indonesia to show why that country has mostly avoided becoming fertile ground for terrorist organizations.

A pregnant Texas teen has won the right to have her baby after she reached an agreement with her parents, who she had sued claiming they were forcing her to abort the fetus, according to Fox News.

London police arrested a rabbi and three others in connection with an investigation into sexual misconduct.

Senator Marco Rubio (he of plastic water swig fame) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toasted their nations’ close ties on Wednesday with, you go it — a click of plastic water bottles. Count on The Forward to bring you that news.

Christians aren’t such bad tippers, after all, says Peter Smith of the Courier-Journal, citing two researchers who have looked into the matter.


What’s with all the killing? Fox News personality Bill O’Reilly has announced that “Killing Jesus: A History” will be his follow-up book his bestseller “Killing Lincoln and Killing Kennedy.”

Finally, for all you pet-lovers and pastors in search of sermon trivia, The Huffington Post has a cool infographic on animals in the White House. Turns out, 68 percent of our presidents have owned dogs, and 20 percent of them have had cats. Who knew?

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