An attempted book burning inside a library and other disturbing manifestations of the desire to censor what other people read. (discuss)

In an attempt to boost attendance at this year's "World Meeting of Families" in Valencia, Spain, Pope Benedict is offering Catholic families an unusual incentive: an indulgence, which is more or less the Pope's promise that god will go easy on your punishment in the afterlife.

A group of "pro-Israel" Christian tourists were beaten after being identified as Christians during a visit to an ultra-Orthodox Christian neighborhood. (More/ Discuss)

A Hindu woman in South Africa makes a startling revelation: she is the Second Coming of Christ:

"I carry the legacy that Jesus Christ is the Archangel Michael and He is universal. In Judaism he is Mikael, in Hinduism he is Shiva, Saraswathie, Luxmi, Lord Krishna and Shirdi Baba, in Christianity he was Jesus Christ and in Islam he is Hasrat Mikael."

The would-be messiah is a 35 year old sociology/criminology student who believes she was born with stigmata and has healing powers, which she offers free of charge. Judging from the reactions of the religious community, it looks like the second coming might be followed by the second crucifixion... (More/Discuss in the Forum)

Will pop-culture blockbusters like thew Da Vinci Code and National Treasure cause a resurgence of interest in Freemasonry, or just encourage conspiratorial thinking? Is a little mystery a bad thing? (Discuss)